NEWS & ANALYSIS

"Misery of my lotto millions!" - Daily Sun

The front page and lead story of SA's largest daily newspaper, June 4 2013

Daily Sun (June 4 2013) - WHEN Bonnie won R13 million in the Lotto, he was sure he would be happy. He slaughtered cows to thank his ancestors, and spent lavishly on things for himself and his wife. BUT THEY DIDN'T GET THE GOOD LIFE THEY HOPED FOR. Now they are miserable and fighting over money. And they're acusing each other of sending hitmen to make death threats.

The childless, 20-year marriage of Bonnie Mkhize and Zanele Cele-Mkhize has now broken down. Bonnie (64), of Mandawe in Umgababa, on the KZN south coast, told Daily Sun how overjoyed he was when he hit the jackpot. He built a nine-bedroom, double-storey mansion and two BMWs (a 5 and a 3 series) and a Toyota Condor.

But the winnings turned into a curse. "I have become a miserable, lonely man with bodyguards," said Bonnie.

He said he kicked Zanele out in February. "She was cheating on me with a local councillor and other men," he said. Then he got calls from strangers, telling him to sit down with Zanele and sort their problems out. "But I told them I'm not prepared to do that," he said. "I don't want her. She ruined my life and took my dignity." "Soon I started getting death threats," said Bonnie. Later, a caller said he was a hitman paid to kill Bonnie, but he wouldn't do it if Bonnie gave him money. Bonnie alleged that before he kicked Zanele out, their domestic workers claimed they were bribed to poison him. "But they refused. "I gave her R3 million. I don't know what she did with it."

He wouldn't tell Daily Sun how much of his winnings was left. "When I met her she had never worked a day in her life. "I worked at Sappi Saicor while she did nothing. "I let her bring her daughter into our house. "We did not have our own child. Now she wants me to divorce her. She wants half my fortune. "I will not sign the divorce papers," said Bonnie. She wants me dead and to take over my house. It cost me a fortune. She will never get it," said Bonnie....

See the Daily Sun mobi site for more on this and other stories....

The Daily Sun is South Africa's largest daily newspaper with an average circulation of 330 000 and a readership of 5.7m (as per AMPS 2012ab). Its Facebook page can be accessed here. It can be followed on Twitter here. To find about advertising on the Daily Sun click here.

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