Edwin Sodi

Children

Edwin Sodi got married in 2000 and had a son, who was born in 2003. In 2008, he said, he had a short-lived relationship with another woman and his second child, a daughter, was born from that relationship.

He broke up with the woman and met another woman, who gave birth to his third child.

During that time, he also had a relationship with a different woman, who gave birth to his fourth child. He started seeing Lerata again in late 2011. She fell pregnant and gave birth to their daughter, Sodi's fifth child.

His sixth child was born in 2018 after a relationship with another woman.^[1]

One of his daughters was with the ex-partner of one of the popular media personalities. He reportedly dated Jub Jub's ex-girlfriend Matsatsi Ramba, rapper and radio host Proverb’s ex-wife Onalerona Moreo and DJ Sbu’s ex-fiancée Disebo Makatsa.^[2]

Relationship With Nthateng Lerata

In 2012, Edwin Sodi and former television and radio presenter, Nthateng Lerata tied the knot in a traditional marriage ceremony which was attended by their closest friends and family. Their marriage did not last long as they got divorced a few years later after Sodi sued Lerata for stealing R1 million from their bedroom’s safe.

In March 2022, Sodi denied Lerata's claim that they were married according to customary law. He said he broke up with Lerata in 2015. He claimed that he was served with an interim protection order on 15 March and he needed to be back in court on 23 March to give reasons why the order should not be made final. He said he would oppose the application because it was "based on false information and it was one-sided".^[1]

Domestic Dispute

In March 2022, Sodi handed himself over to the police for allegedly assaulting his estranged wife, Nthateng Lerata. He was detained at the Sandton Police Station on a charge of assault with intent to commit grievous bodily harm and for pointing a firearm during a domestic dispute at his Bryanston home.

On 10 March 2022, Sodi allegedly arrived at the house with a handgun and found his wife with a male friend, Faizel Motlekar. He reportedly pointed the firearm at the friend and tried to shoot, but the gun jammed. Sodi then fled the house for his Sandton home.^[3]

In his bail application, Sodi alleged that he had found the two in a compromising position and reacted by hitting Motlekar with a cellphone on his head, but denied that he owned a gun.

In denying the allegations, Sodi said he had driven past his house on the night in question and saw that it was in total darkness. He said:

"I suspected that this had possibly been caused by load shedding or other Eskom related problems. I had installed a generator, which was supposed to supply electricity and automatically switch on in the event of power failure. I maintain the generator and I supply fuel for it. I thus went to inspect it because the security lights being off creates a dangerous situation."

He claimed that he knocked on the front door, but did not get a response and entered the home with his own set of keys. Sodi said he heard suspicious noises and went to inspect whereupon he encountered Lerata and Faizal engaging in sex in circumstances where he said his daughter with Lerata could have walked in on them at any time.

According to Sodi, he took Lerata and Motlekar to task about it but was attacked by the latter. He said he lawfully warded off his attack by hitting him on the head with my cellular phone which resulted in him having a cut on his head. Edwin Sodi said he did not have a firearm with him and did not even possess one.

On 18 March 2022, Edwin Sodi was released on R150 000 bail. After he was granted bail, the magistrate, Neelan Karikan, ordered Sodi not to communicate or interfere with witnesses and to remain at his premises in Morningside until the finalisation of the case. Sodi had to hand over all keys to the home where Lerata lived.

He was ordered not to leave the house unless he had made prior arrangements with the investigating officer. He was entitled to leave his premises for court purposes.

The case was postponed to May 31 2022, for further investigation.^[1]

Corruption Charges

Edwin Sodi was arrested on corruption charges in 2020 before being released on R500 000 bail.

He was arrested along with six others in connection with a R255 million asbestos contract scandal after it was deemed irregular by the auditor-general. Sodi appeared in court alongside suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule who was alleged to have benefited from the multimillion-rand deal.

His company, along with Diamond Hill Trading owned by the late businessperson Ignatius “Igo” Mpambani, was awarded the tender to remove asbestos roofs in the Free State.^[3]

Net Worth

In March 2022, Edwin Sodi revealed that he owned several immovable properties and cars, such as a Rolls Royce Dawn, Bentley Supersport, Bentley Continental, Porsche S and a Ferrari FF.

Sodi also revealed that he owned various movable assets, comprising household and personal items, as well as clothing and jewellery, worth R10 million.^[1]

Relationships

He reportedly dated Jub Jub's ex-girlfriend Matsatsi Ramba, rapper and radio host Proverb’s ex-wife Onalerona Moreo and DJ Sbu’s ex-fiancée Disebo Makatsa.^[2]

Katlego Ncala

In 2021, there were reports that Sodi was dating former Miss Teen World and ex-YoTV presenter Katlego Ncala. The report also stated that Edwin Sodi had reportedly impregnated Ncala.^[4]

Disebo Makatsa

In 2015, radio boss DJ Sbu's relationship with Disebo Makatsa reportedly came to a breaking point when the DJ apparently caught his fiancee and Sodi just before boarding a flight at OR Tambo International Airport for a romantic gateway in Dubai.^[5]

Minnie Dlamini & Mihlali Ndamase

In May 2022, Edwin Sodi denied rumours that he had an affair with Minnie Dlamini. He also denied dating South African model and influencer Mihlali Ndamase.

On 10 May 2022, Twitter user Musa Khawula alleged that Dlamini had cheated with Sodi. Khawula, who did not back up the allegation, said the alleged affair is what led to Dlamini and her husband Quinton Jones opting for divorce.^[6]

References