Three former SA cricketers nabbed for match-fixing

Former Titans bowler Ethy Mbhalati, former Proteas wicketkeeper Thami Tsolekile, and former Proteas bowler Lonwabo Tsotsobe were arrested by the Hawks after they were implicated in a match-fixing scheme during the 2015/2016 domestic T20 Ram Slam Challenge.

Mbhalati has since appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court and the matter was postponed to 20 February for further instructions.

Tsolekile and Tsotsobe were both charged with five counts of corruption under Section 15 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act.  

They both appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Friday, where their case was postponed to 26 February 2025 for disclosure.

The matter was first reported by Cricket South Africa’s Anti-Corruption Officer after suspicions of match-fixing emerged involving former Protea player Gulam Bodi. 

Investigations revealed that Mr Bodi approached several players to participate in fixing three T20 Ram Slam matches, working in collusion with bookmakers from India. 

Bodi was arrested in July 2018, pleaded guilty to eight counts of corruption, and was sentenced to five years' direct imprisonment in October 2019.

Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya, National Head of the DPCI, commended the team for their unwavering commitment to tackling corruption, even in sectors where it often goes unnoticed. 

"Corruption undermines the integrity of sport, and the Hawks are determined to safeguard the values of fairness and professionalism in all areas of society,” said Hawks head Godfrey Lebeya. 

“We thank Cricket South Africa for their  cooperation and commitment to addressing this scourge.”