Popular DJ and businesswoman DJ Zinhle's former employee will stand trial after the Hatfield Magistrates' Court rejected her application for mediation to resolve the matter in a bid to avoid prosecution. Thabile Malatjie (23) who worked for Era By DJ Zinhle store in Menlyn was arrested in January this year after stock was recovered at her property.

MEDIATION APPLICATION REJECTED

Malatjie appeared before the Hatfield Magistrates Court today and where she applied for mediation to resolve the matter. However, the mediation application was rejected by the senior public prosecutor. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said it is alleged that the accused was employed at Era by DJ Zinhle and stole stock worth an unverified amount of money. "Malatjie was arrested on 12 January 2023, after the police searched and found stock in her property. However, she was subsequently released on R5000 bail, and the matter was postponed to 24 July 2023 for trial," Mahanjana said.

STEALING FROM THE BUSINESS

According to reports, DJ Zinhle, real name Ntombezinhle Jiyane suspected that Malatjie was stealing from her after she realised that her business was not doing so well in terms of profit. In a statement to the police, DJ Zinhle said she became suspected that the suspect was stealing from her when the business was not bringing in enough profit. The DJ then set a trap to catch Malatjie. She went with her friends to the store and they bought some items. Later, she went back to the store and asked to see the money for the day and Malatjie failed to produce it. She gave Zinhle R200 and confessed she took it. Last year, another employee Phumzile Diko was arrested and charged with fraud after she allegedly stole R500 000 from DJ Zinhle's business account. Diko was one of the employees working in the accounts department at the DJ's company.