The once-thriving South African sneaker brand, Drip, has collapsed under the weight of its founder’s reckless spending and alleged abuse. Lekau Sehoana, 36, is accused of using company profits to fund his luxury lifestyle, leaving creditors knocking on the door.
A Johannesburg High Court ruling placed Drip under liquidation this week, with advertising agency Wideopen Platform securing a R20 million sequestration order for unpaid services. This is not the only financial blow to Sehoana, as BMW also owes R6.3 million in unpaid vehicle installments for a luxury X5.
Sehoana’s troubles run deep. His children’s clothing store, Kiddies Republic, shut down last year after barely a year in operation. In a contentious interview on YouTube, Sehoana attributed the closure to financial inviability. However, his estranged wife, Lebohang, tells a different story.
Lebohang, Drip’s co-founder, alleges Sehoana squandered company funds on luxuries and subjected her to physical and emotional abuse during their turbulent marriage. “During our marriage, he was unemployed, so I was the one funding the businesses,” she revealed. “We ran multiple businesses… and I was funding those.” She also accused Sehoana of spending more than the business had accumulated during their years of marriage.
Lekau’s estranged wife recounted the darkest moments of their marriage, revealing a disturbing pattern of behaviour. ‘He would return home intoxicated and engage in bizarre rituals, like slaughtering chickens at 3 am,’ she said. ‘When I dared to speak out against it, the abuse escalated.’ Moreover, whenever Drip faced criticism or bad reviews, Sehoana’s frustration would boil over into physical violence against her. ‘He would take out his anger on me, perpetuating a cycle of fear and intimidation that became unbearable,’ Lebohang shared, her words painting a harrowing picture of life with Sehoana.”
She described the abuse she suffered, including Sehoana’s erratic behaviour and intimidation tactics. “He’d tell me, ‘I’m very powerful… I control social media and have politicians and celebrities on my payroll, so just take whatever I’m giving you, or I’ll destroy you.'” She is now seeking a 50% stake in Sehoana’s assets amid their bitter divorce dispute.
A former staffer claims Sehoana deliberately orchestrated Drip’s downfall to avoid sharing assets with Lebohang. “He’s hidden money in international accounts and planned to form a new business,” the informant alleged. This raises questions about Sehoana’s true intentions and the ethics of his entrepreneurial endeavors.
