Black Coffee Wins $438,000 Court Battle Against Maserati South Africa

Black Coffee has won a long-running legal dispute against Maserati South Africa, with the Johannesburg High Court ordering the company to pay the Grammy-winning DJ’s business R7 million, roughly $438,000, plus interest and legal costs.

The dispute dates back to 2022, when Black Coffee, whose real name is Nkosinathi Innocent Maphumulo, purchased a Maserati MC20 Coupe for around R7 million. Two years later, he agreed to trade the vehicle in as part of an upgrade to a fully customized Maserati MC20 Cielo, valued at approximately R9 million.

Under the agreement described in the case, the dealer valued his existing MC20 at R7 million, leaving roughly R2 million to be paid once the new Cielo was delivered. Delivery was expected by mid-2025, but production delays followed and no firm handover date was provided.

Black Coffee eventually took the matter to the Johannesburg High Court, seeking to recover the R7 million tied up in the transaction. In August 2026, the court ruled in his favor and ordered Maserati South Africa to repay the amount, along with interest and legal costs.

The ruling brings the dispute over the undelivered luxury vehicle to a close, with Black Coffee recovering the value that had been committed to the trade-in agreement.