By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Mmereka Patience Martha Ntshani – popularly known as Dr Pashy | Picture: Instagram / @drpashy.
Dr Mmereka Ntshani, also known as Dr Pashy has served Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi with a letter over ‘wrongful defamatory statements’ in a presser regarding her passports found in possession of Dr Nandipha Magudumana.
Magudumana was found in possession of the passports in question when she and Facebook rapist and murderer Thabo Bester were apprehended in Tanzania.
According to the letter sent by Ntshani’s lawyers, they are of the view that during the press conference held by Motsoaledi as an update by his department on Bester’s escape, he alluded to false conclusions that Ntshani was involved in aiding and abetting Magudumana and Bester to abscond.
Motsoaledi denied that Magudumana stole Ntshani’s identity and said it still doesn’t make sense why Magudumana carried Ntshani’s expired passport.
One of those passports expired on July 24, 2022 because we issued it to Dr Ntshani on July 25, 2012 … The second passport was issued on July 10, 2019 and is due to expire on July 9 2029…”
He said in 2019, Ntshani applied for a new passport saying the previous one was stolen.
She then applied for another one on March 27, 2023 saying she gave Magudumana and Bester, who was at the time going by the name of TK Nkwana, her current passport so they could apply for working citizenship in the US.
“So the story that Magudumana assumed the identity of Dr Ntshani, that’s not true. She never assumed that identity. She just carried the two passports and never used them. At no stage did she tell anyone she was Dr Ntshani,” Motsoaledi said.
Bester escaped from the Mangaung Correctional Centre in May 2022 and was apparently aided by a number of people.
The letter reads that they have since advised Dr Ntshani to pay a visit to the Department of Home Affairs’ offices in Akasia, Pretoria, to apply for a new passport, which she still has to collect.
“Upon arrival at Akasia offices, she presented that she is no longer in possession of her passport, and presented an affidavit dated 27 March 2023,” reads the letter. It is also explained that a copy of the affidavit, dated 27 March 2023 and a further affidavit provided to the police deposed to on 12 April 2023, can be provided on request. The aforementioned affidavits deal extensively with the circumstances that led to Magudumana being in possession of Ntshani’s passports.
Dr Ntshani and her legal team are of the view that the statements made by Motsoaledi have affected her image negatively since the interview received widespread criticism through social media and selected media outlets, as she has been painted as a co-conspirator.
According to the letter, Dr Ntshani has only known Bester as TK Nkwana until 16 March 2023. It has been explained that some of Ntshani’s clients and colleagues are reluctant and some are refusing to work with her since Motsoaledi’s statements.
It is demanded that Motsoaledi issue a formal withdrawal/retraction of all defamatory statements, and that he have made and/or caused a public apology to be issued and publicised within five days from the receipt of the notice to the same media platform that he has issued the respective inciteful and defamatory statements.
The letter concludes that he must provide the lawyers with a signed response that he has complied with and/or that he is taking measures to comply with the demands set out above by 15 May 2023, 17:00.
Ntshani has denied any involvement in Bester’s escape plan, a case of fraud, forgery and uttering was opened against the two ( Magudumana and Bester).
The South African Naional police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, has confirmed that a case of fraud was opened against Magudumana.