A closed-door meeting. A blunt admission. Then chaos.
On 4 February 2026, SAMRO CEO Annabell Lebethe was verbally dismissed in a tense boardroom showdown that insiders say left members stunned and divided. According to board member Dr. Dan Nkosi, the decision followed Lebethe’s alleged admission that she had used the organisation’s credit card—an act tied to explosive findings in the Fundudzi forensic report.
What happened next only deepened the drama.
Sources say some board members resisted the motion—until Nkosi reminded them their own names appeared in the same report, linked to over R30 million in questionable royalty claims. Silence followed. The vote went through.
Yet, more than a month later, the fallout is anything but settled.
Lebethe is challenging her dismissal, and in a twist raising eyebrows across the industry, she still reportedly has access to SAMRO offices. “Nobody knows what she’s doing there,” said an artist representative, voicing growing unease.
Outside, frustration has been brewing for months. Protests, whistleblower claims, and a criminal case tied to unauthorized spending have battered trust in the institution.
SAMRO, however, insists nothing has changed—maintaining Lebethe remains CEO.
So who’s really in charge?
For South Africa’s music community, the answer could determine whether accountability finally hits the right note—or fades out again.
Email: motshwari@onenews.co.za
