JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – WHEN Cynthia Moyo arrived in Johannesburg from Gwanda in Zimbabwe’s Matabeleland South province, she was known among acquaintances as a soft-spoken, religious, and disciplined woman who appeared committed to honest work and family values.
After settling in South Africa and co-founding Mandebvu Funeral Services with her late husband, Method Mandebvu, several men now allege that her conduct changed dramatically.
According to multiple sources who spoke to CAJ News Africa, Cynthia is accused of engaging in a pattern of deception, financial manipulation, and blackmail that has left a number of Zimbabwean diaspora businessmen financially and emotionally distressed.
The men allege that Moyo approached them individually, presenting herself as a struggling entrepreneur seeking short-term financial assistance to expand her funeral business. Within the Zimbabwean diaspora community, such support systems are common, as many entrepreneurs are unable to access bank loans and therefore rely on trust-based lending among peers.
Under these arrangements, funds are usually repaid within agreed timeframes, often without formal contracts, based on mutual trust.
However, the men claim that in Cynthia’s case, repayments never materialised. Instead, they allege that once repayment deadlines approached, excuses multiplied—ranging from delayed cash flow to travel across South Africa and neighbouring countries.
Months reportedly turned into years without repayment.
More seriously, some men allege that when they persisted in demanding repayment, Moyo shifted tactics. They claim she accused them of being romantic partners and, in some cases, threatened reputational damage or exposure—particularly targeting married men.
One businessman alleged that after a single sexual encounter, he felt trapped.
“She borrowed R15,000 for her business. After that night, she refused to pay and began threatening me whenever I asked for my money back. One mistake cost me everything,” he said.
Others shared WhatsApp messages in which repayment was repeatedly promised but never honoured.
Legal experts warn that blackmail, fraud, and extortion are serious criminal offences under South African law, carrying severe penalties including imprisonment.
Using intimacy, threats, or deception to avoid repayment of money may expose perpetrators to both criminal and civil liability.
Beyond the courts, community leaders caution that such conduct destroys trust within diaspora networks, discouraging cooperation and undermining entrepreneurship among migrants who depend on mutual support to survive.
Several victims spoke of their belief in karma—not as superstition, but as a moral law of cause and effect.
“People who profit from deception eventually face consequences,” one man said. “You cannot build success on the pain of others and expect peace.”
Religious leaders echo this sentiment, emphasising that exploiting others through manipulation or sexuality reflects a profound moral failure that often results in isolation, exposure, and long-term regret.
Community members stress that the allegations against Cynthia Moyo should not be generalised to women as a whole.
Instead, they describe a specific personality type—individuals who weaponise trust, intimacy, and vulnerability for financial gain, disregarding the emotional, familial, and financial damage left behind.
Such behaviour, they warn, harms not only victims but also honest women entrepreneurs whose credibility is unfairly questioned as a result.
Some alleged victims claim that Cynthia Moyo has frequently changed offices and residences, particularly in Hillbrow, allegedly to evade creditors.
Others say they have given up hope of recovering their money but want their stories heard.
“She borrowed almost R90,000 from me. For over two years, she kept promising to pay. I still have the messages,” one man said.
Efforts to obtain comment from Cynthia Moyo were unsuccessful, as she did not respond to questions sent to her seeking confirmation or denial of the allegations.
She is alleged to have deceived numerous men out of their hard-earned money without returning it. Reports suggest she requested amounts ranging from R5,000 to R10,000, R15,000, R20,000, R50,000, and even R90,000. Many of the men reportedly stayed silent, fearing potential blackmail by Cynthia Moyo.
CAJ News Africa will run this report as part of an ongoing investigative series. Men who believe they were financially exploited or blackmailed are encouraged to come forward without fear or prejudice.
Make your submissions to: news@cajnewsafrica.com
– CAJ News