Multi-award-winning amapiano king Kabza de Small is fighting to recover his R100 000 rental deposit from his former landlord, Zolile Abel Dlamini.
The gifted recording superstar claims that Dlamini has no right to keep his deposit because he lawfully terminated their lease agreement and vacated the landlord’s luxury apartment at The Leonardo in Sandton in July last year.
Kabza de Small said in this in a plea he filed in the Joburg High Court where Dlamini dragged him after accusing him of owing him R440 000 in unpaid rent.
In the papers, which Africa Daily has seen, the music beat production fiend denies owing Dlamini R440 000 in outstanding rent, insisting that the lease agreement was terminated before its original expiry date of January 31, 2026 and therefore he is entitled to be refunded his R100 000 deposit.
Kabza de Small admits that he agreed to pay R95 000 rental fee to Dlamini as agreed in the lease agreement.
However, he disputes that he was required to pay the rent directly into Dlamini’s bank account.
He argues that Dlamini’s authorised property practitioner, Liso Nodikana, issued monthly invoices for rent and utilities containing her banking details, and that he paid the amounts reflected in those invoices into the agent’s coffers.
Kabza de Small contends that it was Nodikana’s responsibility to transfer the rental payments to Dlamini after receiving them.
He further denies that Dlamini fulfilled all his obligations under the lease agreement, alleging that his former landlord failed to provide him with peaceful possession of the premises.
The producer extra ordinare said that Dlamini demanded rental payments before they were due, causing him distress and ultimately leading him to terminate the lease and vacate the apartment before the original agreement expired.
According to Kabza de Small, he sent a notice of termination to Dlamini through Nodikana in June 2025.
He argues that Nodikana had the authority to receive the notice because she had negotiated and facilitated the lease agreement, handled communications between the parties, issued monthly rental invoices and received payments on Dlamini’s behalf.
Kabza de Small maintains that after the notice period expired, he vacated the apartment and the lease agreement was cancelled.
He also claims that Nodikana facilitated his move to new premises and arranged for his electronic, biometric and parking access to the apartment to be cancelled.
The musician disputes Dlamini’s claim that he failed to pay rent for the months in question, arguing that the amounts relate to a period after he had already terminated the lease and vacated the property.
He denies that Dlamini suffered damages of R540 000 as a result of his alleged breach of the lease agreement.
The music mega star argues that Dlamini is not entitled to retain his R100 000 rental deposit because, according to him, the lease was lawfully terminated.
The court papers also highlight a dispute over two alleged payments of R110 000 and R50 000, which Dlamini claims the artist submitted as proof of payment.
The talented DJ denies sending the proof of payments and says he has no knowledge of the bank account number reflected in the documents, arguing that the account does not belong to him.
He has also strongly denied allegations of fraud contained in Dlamini’s claim, describing them as scandalous, vexatious, irrelevant and prejudicial to his reputation.
In his plea, Kabza de Small asks the court to dismiss Dlamini’s claim with costs.
Dlamini dragged Kabza de Small to court after he vacated his property allegedly without paying rent.
Dlamini states that on 30 January 2025, he entered into a 12-month lease agreement with Kabza de Small for an apartment at the luxury building. He said the lease commenced on 1 February 2025 and was set to expire on 31 January 2026.
He said the rental agreement required Kabza de Small to pay a monthly rental of R95 000 into Dlamini’s Investec Private Bank account held in Sandton.
Dlamini claims that the musician paid the agreed monthly rental of R95 000 at the beginning of each month up until early July 2025.
However, from the beginning of August 2025, payments allegedly became irregular. Dlamini says he and Nodikana, began following up on late and outstanding payments.
He alleges that on 2 October 2025, the amapiano proponent sent the agent two proof of payment documents — one reflecting an amount of R50 000 and the other R110 000.
Dlamini claims the documents were later found to be fraudulent, as the funds never reflected in the specified bank account.
He further alleges that when the agent confronted Kabza de Small after discovering that the payments had not been received, communication was cut off.
Dlamini states that the alleged fake proof of payment documents were issued to create the impression that the debt had been settled, while the rental remained due and payable.As a result of the alleged submission of fraudulent proofs of payment, Dlamini opened a case of fraud against the artist.
Attempts to solicit comments from Kabza de Small and Dlamini drew a blank.
