Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Lerato Zakhele Lepasa, who now turns out for Siwelele FC, has been dragged into a dramatic court showdown after Absa Bank Limited moved to repossess his luxury BMW M340i xDrive over alleged unpaid instalments.
The football star’s flashy 2021 BMW M340i xDrive A/T — a high-performance luxury sedan worth more than R1.3 million — is now at the centre of legal proceedings filed in the Johannesburg High Court.
According to court papers, Absa claims Lepasa entered into an instalment sale agreement with the bank on 27 March 2024 to finance the powerful German machine.
The agreement allegedly required him to pay monthly instalments of R16,910.04 over several years, with a final balloon payment of R100,000 due on April 1 2030.
But according to the bank, trouble began when the footballer fell behind on his repayments.
The bank stated in the court documents that as of 21 April 2026, Lepasa’s account was in arrears by more than R120,000.
ABSA further claims the total outstanding balance on the agreement stood at a staggering R981,431.56, excluding further interest and legal costs.
Now Absa wants the car returned immediately.
In papers before the court, the bank argues that despite the vehicle being in Lepasa’s possession, ownership of the BMW remains vested in the bank until all financial obligations under the agreement are settled in full.
Absa says it complied with the provisions of the National Credit Act by sending a Section 129 notice to the player, informing him that he was in arrears and giving him an opportunity to remedy the situation.
However, the bank claims Lepasa failed to respond adequately or surrender the vehicle voluntarily.
As a result, Absa has approached the High Court seeking an order confirming the cancellation of the agreement and authorising the repossession of the luxury car.
But the legal drama does not stop there.
The bank is also asking the court for permission to pursue Lepasa for any remaining balance after the BMW is repossessed and sold. This means that if the vehicle is auctioned for less than the outstanding debt, the footballer could still be liable for the shortfall.
In another potentially devastating blow, Absa is also demanding legal costs on an attorney-and-client scale — one of the harshest cost orders available in civil litigation.
Still, the case has already sparked conversations about the financial pressures faced by professional footballers and celebrities who maintain expensive lifestyles while dealing with the harsh realities of South Africa’s struggling economy.
With rising living costs, high interest rates and mounting debt affecting households across the country, even high-profile sports stars are not immune from financial turmoil.
When contacted for comments, Lepasa hurled unpublishable insults at the bank.
