Bodyguards Say They Were Forced to Be Farmhands for Former RAF Boss

The Shocking Claims

Powerful photos and videos have backed up a wild story: bodyguards paid to protect a top government official were instead made to work as labourers on his fancy farm.

What the Guards Say

“We Were His Personal Farmhands”

One guard, speaking secretly, said their real job was nothing like protection. “We were there to protect him, but we were forced to work like his personal farmhands,” he said.

According to multiple guards, their duties included:

• Feeding and caring for goats and chickens
• Hauling materials to build a new fence
• Slaughtering livestock
• Operating machinery like a drilling machine

“Every weekend, we knew we were going to work on those things,” another guard explained. “We’d even buy feed for the animals and take sick ones to the vet.”

A Life of Fear and Exhaustion

The guards described a stressful environment. Calling in sick could make their boss angry, who would send threatening messages on their work WhatsApp group. The message was clear: complain, and you could lose your job.

One guard bluntly stated there were never any real threats against Letsoalo. He gave an example: during a concert, the guards were left outside the stadium while Letsoalo was inside. “How are we supposed to guard a person who is inside when we are outside?” he asked.

The Boss’s Denial

“I Never Instructed That”

Collins Letsoalo, the former CEO of the Road Accident Fund (RAF), strongly denies the claims. He says the bodyguards’ oath of secrecy means they can’t talk about their work. “I have never, and will never, instruct any protector to act outside what is expected of them,” he stated.

When shown the photos and videos of his guards working on the farm, Letsoalo called the pictures “illegal” and said he would take action against the guards for taking them.

The Evidence That Tells a Different Story

The visual evidence is stark. In one clip, a guard stands at attention in a crisp uniform. In the next, the same man is knee-deep in mud, hammering a fence post. The footage directly contradicts Letsoalo’s claim that no guard was qualified to mend an electric fence.

Why Did He Have So Many Bodyguards?

A R10 Million Security Detail

This scandal is part of a bigger investigation. Earlier reports revealed Letsoalo spent over R10 million of public money on his security over three years. This included:

• An armoured BMW X5 costing R4 million
• Three VW Golf 8 GTIs (R800,000 to R1 million each)
• A team of nine bodyguards

This made him the most protected public official in South Africa, after the President and Deputy President.

The Parliamentary Investigation

The claims are being heard by a powerful parliamentary committee called Scopa, which is investigating financial mismanagement at the RAF. Letsoalo has repeatedly refused to appear before the committee, which is now considering criminal charges against him for dodging the summons.

His reason? He claims his life is in danger and won’t give his home address. “Why would I publicise my address?” he said. “The threats don’t go simply because I have ceased being a CEO.”

What the RAF’s Own Security Chief Said

Stephens Msiza, the RAF’s head of security, told Scopa that the guards were indeed abused. He confirmed they had to report to Letsoalo’s house early, stay all day in bad weather without proper facilities, and do farm work.

Msiza also revealed why the expensive armoured car was bought: Letsoalo told him there was a “hit” (assassination plot) against his life on January 30, 2024. But when Msiza suggested reducing the nine bodyguards to just two (since the car was safer), Letsoalo got angry. He complained the car was a problem when he had to open a gate at his “girlfriend’s estate.”

Conclusion: A Tale of Two Stories

This story presents two completely different realities. On one side, a former CEO who claims he needs maximum protection from lethal threats, funded by taxpayer money. On the other, his own bodyguards who describe being treated like cheap labour, with no real threat to guard against.

The videos and photos seem to side with the guards. The big questions remain: Were millions in public funds misused for a fake security threat? And who will hold a powerful official accountable for allegedly turning his protectors into personal workers?