Uncaptured

The True Account of the Nenegate/Trillian Whistleblower

By: Mosilo Mothepu

Narrated by: Phindile Xaba

When Mosilo Mothepu was appointed CEO of Trillian Financial Advisory, a subsidiary of Gupta-linked Trillian Capital Partners, in March 2016, the prospect of being at the helm of a Black-owned financial consultancy was electrifying for a Black woman whose twin passions were transformation and empowering women.

Three months later, suffering from depression and insomnia, she resigned with no other job lined up. In October 2016, a written statement handed to Public Protector Thuli Madonsela detailing Trillian’s involvement in state capture was leaked to the media. Key to the disclosures were the removals of finance ministers Nhlanhla Nene and Pravin Gordhan from their posts due to the Guptas’ influence.

Although she was not identified by name as the source of the affidavit, details of the revelations published in the Sunday Times left no doubt in the minds of Trillian’s executives: Mothepu was the Nenegate whistleblower.

Despite fearing legal consequences, Mothepu had decided that she could not just stand by as the country burnt. Her disclosures resulted in the freezing of Trillian-associated company Regiments Capital’s assets and a High Court order for Trillian to pay back almost R600 million to Eskom.

Facing criminal charges and bankruptcy, unemployed and deemed a political risk, Mothepu experienced first-hand the loneliness of whistleblowing. The effect on her mental and physical health was devastating. Now, in Uncaptured, she recounts this troubling yet seminal chapter in her life with honesty, humility and wry humour in the hope that others who find themselves in a similar situation will follow in her footsteps and speak truth to power.

©2021 Penguin Random House South Africa (P)2021 Penguin Random House South Africa

Such courage

Finally someone willing to state the truth about what happened. I was so engrossed, I couldn’t stop listening. Brilliant book!

Courage under fire - speaking truth to power!

Wow, this book exceeded all my expectations!!! Mosilo's courage to share her experiences with the architects of state capture in such vivid detail is an inspiration! It is an honest and heartfelt account of both strength and vulnerability, humility and professional excellence, persecution and vindication. She holds up a mirror exposing the evil of state capture, prompting us to get up from our comfort zones and speak truth to power! We all have a part to play and can start small by refusing to skip the municipal queue or avoid a traffic fine by bribing officials with a pie and a Coke...