Businesswoman Angela Casara, former wife of internationally acclaimed producer Lebo M (Lebohang Morake), has publicly accused media personality Phindile “Phindi” Gule-Burley of being behind a “scam” after failing to deliver on prizes promised in a women’s empowerment competition. Casara, who won the YoungStar Entrepreneur competition in August 2022, claims she received none of the prizes, including a car, laptop, smartphone, and free data for a year.
The competition, aimed at empowering women with business skills and mentorship, promised over R500,000 in prizes, including a R100,000 cash reward and a new car. Casara was initially told she would win a Baic car, but Gule-Burley later downgraded the offer to an entry-level Suzuki. Despite numerous communications and even lodging a complaint with the ombud, Casara claims that Gule-Burley has made empty promises but failed to deliver the prizes.
Casara alleges that while Gule-Burley provided smaller prizes, the key items that could help her business—transportation and technology—were never received. She emphasized that the prizes would have been invaluable for attending business meetings and improving her work efficiency. The businesswoman also raised concerns over the transparency of the competition, particularly regarding funds raised for the “Teach Them Young” program, which aimed to teach young girls in townships about entrepreneurship. Casara claims the money raised for the program was never accounted for and that the initiative never materialized.
The businesswoman is now speaking out, insisting that Gule-Burley has exploited the competition to gain sponsorships and funds without delivering on promises. Casara’s frustration is compounded by the lack of communication from Gule-Burley, who, despite agreeing to finalize the prizes, has yet to follow through. When contacted for comment, Gule-Burley did not respond to calls or text messages.
