A few years ago, well-known Johannesburg-based businessman Thomas Shuma was on top of the world. This resident from Nkovani Village in the Malamulele area drove the best wheels and he was known by many as a gold jeweller, musician and the director of a soccer team. His whole world started to fall apart when he was accused of rigging a soccer match.

Shuma was arrested in 2007 with three other men in a Polokwane hotel, on allegations that they had influenced the outcome of a soccer match. He had to stand trial together with co-accused Jacob Sakala (then City Pillars coach), manager Peter Koutroulis and the referee. They were charged with fraud, following the match between Pillars and OR Tambo, which Pillars won 1-0.

According to Shuma, his name was splashed in most newspapers in the country and his photo dominated TV screens. His businesses suffered as a result of the adverse publicity and he lost almost everything. The once-rich tycoon is blaming his downfall on the bad publicity and also accuses the media of not reporting fairly on the outcome of the case.

"When all the accused were found not guilty and discharged, almost all the main papers that had run the story of the fraud charges did not bother to update it," he said. “So. in the eyes of my clients. I am a corrupt person and my business went down as businessmen do not want to be associated with a corrupt person,” he said.