By Rorisang Modiba
- The sheriff failed three times to find Somizi Mhlongo’s company, Search Light, at its Sandton offices after it ignored a court ruling.
- Workers say they were fired without notice, and the company still owes R165,000 despite the CCMA ruling in their favour.
Media personality Somizi Mhlongo’s company has gone quiet after being ordered to pay former workers more than R165,000 in unpaid salaries.
The company, Search Light (Pty) Ltd, was told by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration to pay workers three months’ salaries for April, May and June – but the money never came.
Union representative Thabiso Putswe from Hotellica said the sheriff went to the company’s Sandton offices three times in September but found them empty.
“It looks like they’ve moved out and now work from home,” he said, Fakaza News reported.
Court papers from the Randburg Magistrate’s Court confirm that the sheriff couldn’t find anything to take because there were no goods at the address.
The workers’ lawyers are now trying other ways to get the money, including tracing another office said to be at the Carlton Centre in Johannesburg.
The problem started in April 2025 when several employees accused Somizi and his business partner, Lindo Maleho, of firing them without notice or hearings.
Search Light is a cleaning services company that supplied staff to Transnet at the Carlton Centre.
When the issue first became public in July, Somizi denied owning the company, joking on Instagram: “I just found out I own a company I never had. Mzansi for sho.”
Pictured above: Somizi Mhlongo.
Image source: File
