Time is a ticking bomb for the Secretary-General of the ruling party, Ace Magashule, following a step-aside decision taken by the NEC of the African National Congress last month. The ANC’s NEC decided that members of the party facing corruption and serious crimes must step aside within 30 days or face suspension from the organisation. The 30-day provision for the SG set by the party comes to an end today. Magashule has been charged on more than 70 counts, including fraud, corruption, and money laundering relating to the Free State multimillion-rand asbestos roofing audit contract when he was still a Premier. The state alleges that various payments were made by the department to a joint venture (JV) of Diamond Hill Trading 71 and Blackhead, for which the late Ignatius “Igo” Mpambani and Sodi were the account holders.
The JV was appointed by Mokhesi as a service provider on a contract worth R255-million. Mpambani, Sodi’s business partner, was murdered in Johannesburg in 2017.
The department made payments worth R230-million to Mpambani’s Blackhead consulting between 2014 and 2016. From Blackhead, the funds then flowed to the other accused companies, coinciding with payments allegedly made either on instruction by Magashule or after a request made on behalf of the other accused.
“It is alleged that in August 2015, Magashule corruptly accepted gratification of R53,550 paid on his request towards the tuition fees of the daughter of a then acting judge Refiloe Mokoena,” says the indictment.
“It is further alleged that in June 2015, Magashule accepted payment of R470,000, paid on his instruction to M-TAG Systems for … 200 electronic tablets from Mpambani.
It goes on to charge that “in June 2015 Magashule accepted a payment of R30,000, paid on his request to SWC Nkate from Mpambani”, and in late 2015 or early 2016 “a payment of R250,000, on his request, was made by Mpambani to Astra Travel towards travel expenses of a delegation to Cuba. Magashule will return back in court in August.
