In early February 2022, a witness statement was submitted to the North Gauteng High Court that alleged Nonhlanhla Patience Mnisi, the wife of South Africa’s deputy president, had received “substantial commissions” on a sale of contested land in Badplaas. The witness, attorney Richard Spoor, was not led in oral testimony on the allegation, which kicked off an independent investigation by Daily Maverick. Following the trail led us back to 2004, to the core of the land claims scam itself. Along the way, we encountered a fake community trust, spurious land claims, brazen conmen and the involvement of Pam Golding Properties.