JOHANNESBURG - When the hammer came down at a property auction, Tevin Mashila believed he was securing a suburban home in the south of Johannesburg.
But what should have been a straightforward move into his new property soon turned into a protracted legal battle.
Mashila later discovered that the house he had purchased was occupied by veteran actress Gcina Mkhize, who has refused to vacate the property despite it having been sold at auction.
The dispute between the two has now dragged on for more than two years.
“I’ve tried to communicate with her and tried to negotiate so that she can vacate the property but she's having none of it.
"She actually wants to leave the property via the eviction, which is what we are busy with now,” Mashila told eNCA.
Mashila says he was informed at the time of purchase that there was no guarantee the property would be vacant and that he might have to pursue eviction proceedings at his own cost.
After the successful bid in October 2023, Mashila contacted Mkhize through the Sheriff’s Office and requested a meeting to discuss the next steps.
The meeting took place in February 2024, four months after the purchase, following the registration of the property at the deeds office.
“It appeared as if it was shocking news when I actually relayed that message to her to say that I purchased this property and there's proof from the district office.
Mashila claims that during the meeting, Mkhize and another woman assisting her acknowledged that the property had been sold through legal channels.
He further alleges that Mkhize was aware that the property had been heading towards auction, which he believes was linked to financial difficulties following her separation from her husband.
The dispute eventually ended up in court, a process Mashila describes as frustrating and marked by repeated postponements.
Outside the courtroom, he says he has faced significant financial strain, including paying a bond on a property he does not occupy, as well as municipal rates and charges that have amounted to about R200,000 over two years.
Mkhize confirmed to eNCA that a legal battle over the property is ongoing, but offered a different version of events.
She says her financial troubles began after her divorce in late 2020.
According to her, the divorce decree required her and her former husband to split the bond repayments, but she was left to shoulder the financial burden alone.
“I was unable to pay the bond in full. I was responsible for the kids schooling, grocery and transport. I was able to pay my half of the bond. I eventually incurred interest. That was when I was served with summons by the bank.”
Mkhize says she sought legal representation but was later served with a notice of execution of sale confirming that the property would be auctioned.
She claims attempts to halt the process were unsuccessful and that she only later discovered the house had been sold.
Frustrated by the situation, Mkhize said she reached out to her attorney to provide proof from the court halting the proceedings, but that effort failed.
“This attorney threw me under the bus. She knew what was happening and what was going to happen,” she alleged.
She has also accused Mashila of harassment and intimidation during the dispute.
“I was terrorised, he broke into my home and intimidates me. He did this three times. The second time he did this he brought a bunch of guys driving a convoy they terrorised the home. The third time he decided to put his relatives by worse. He was using guerilla tactics to get me out of this house,”
Mashila denies the allegations, saying he did not harass Mkhize and that any activity on the property was related to renovations.
Mkhize has also questioned the legality of the sale, blaming the bank for what she claims was an unlawful process.
eNCA approached Nedbank for comment.
The bank said that, for safety and confidentiality reasons, any information could only be disclosed with the client’s approval.