Staff Reporter
At least 11 people, including ANC secretary general Ace Magashule, are expected to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court today for the continuation of the Free State asbestos corruption case after three more suspects were arrested yesterday.
The three, who are yet to be named, have been described as government officials believed to have played a significant role in the R255-million audit corruption case.
The case started towards the end of September last year with the arrests of Johannesburg businessman and owner of Blackhead Consulting (Pty), Pheagane Edwin Sodi, 47; head at the Free State Department of Human Settlements (FSDHS), Nthimotse Mokhesi, 61; director for supply chain management at the FSDHS, Mahlomola John Matlakala, 42; Fourways businessman, Sello Joseph Radebe, 56; Pretoria businessman, Abel Kgotso Manyeki, 38; former director-general at the National Department of Human Settlements, Thabane Wiseman Zulu, 53; and former Free State MEC for Human Settlements and former mayor of Mangaung, Sarah Matawana Mlamleli, 63.
They are jointly charged with five companies, namely Blackhead Consulting, Diamond Hill Trading 71 (Pty) Ltd, 605 Consulting Solutions (Pty) Ltd, Mastertrade 232 (Pty) Ltd and Ori Group (Pty) Ltd.
The initial seven suspects were arrested by the police priority crime unit, the Hawks, across the three of provinces the Free State, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
Magashule, 62, who is the former premier of the Free State, was charged later in November and made his initial court appearance after handing himself over to the police.
The initial eight suspects were all released on bail ranging from R50 000 to R500 000 after making their first appearances in court.
They face charges of fraud, theft, attempted theft, corruption in contravention of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act 12 of 2004, money laundering in contravention of Section 4 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act 121 of 1998 as well as the contravention of various Asbestos Regulations, promulgated in terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993.
Magashule is facing a total of 21 charges.
It is alleged that various payments were made by the Free State Department of Housing to Diamond Hill Trading 71 and Blackhead Consulting, a joint venture of which the late Phikolomzi Mpambani and Sodi were the account holders.
The company was appointed by Mokhesi as a service provider on a contract of R255-million.
The joint venture was expected to assess and remove asbestos roofs and/or housing as they pose a health hazard to people but, according to the state, the work was never completed.
The state alleges 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 from Mpambani.
It is further alleged that in June 2015, Magashule accepted payment of R470 000, paid on his request to M-TAG Systems for the acquisition of 200 Electronic tablets from Mpambani.
Furthermore, it is alleged that in June 2015, Magashule accepted a payment of R30 000, paid on his request to SWC Nkate from Mpambani.
Between November 2015 and January 2016, a payment of R250 000, on his request, was made by Mpambani to Astra Travel towards the travel expenses of an ANC delegation to Cuba.
It is further alleged that Magashule failed to report corrupt transactions in contravention of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act 12 of 2004.