By Akani Nkuna
Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson has laid criminal charges against the suspended CEO of the Independent Development Trust (IDT), Tebogo Malaka, and the entity’s spokesperson Phasha Makgolane, following an alleged attempt by the duo to buy a journalist’s silence with cash.
Macpherson noted that the allegations were disturbing and continued to feed into the mistrust citizens had about public entities.
He told reporters on Thursday that their actions constituted an assault on government’s efforts to provide services.
“These allegations remain deeply disturbing. They are not just a criminal act, but an assault to the institutional framework of government to provide services to the people of South Africa, especially in the social infrastructure space that the IDT is responsible for,” he said.
“Attempting to bribe a journalist to bury the truth is an attack not only on the free press, but on our democracy. It is an attempt to silence accountability, to undermine public confidence and to shield corruption from exposure.”
This follows Malaka and Makgolane being caught on video allegedly attempting to bribe investigative journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh with R60,000 to stop him from investigating and reporting on irregularities at the SOE.
Malaka was placed on precautionary suspension at the beginning of August after she was implicated in a R836-million oxygen plant tender fraud scandal.
The Health Department is set to re-tender the contract, although no formal finding of misconduct has been made against her.
Macpherson warned that his department would act against anyone attempting to further their criminal endeavours.
“The department and its entities are no longer a playground and safe haven for mal-administration and corruption. For years, IDT has been plagued by governance failures, incomplete projects and repeated audit disclaimers. It was an entity in crisis… meant to service the public but instead consumed by dysfunction,” Macpherson said.
Furthermore, Macpherson said that he instructed the new IDT board during their meeting on Wednesday evening to scrutinise and investigate contracts issued under Malaka’s tenure.
Earlier this year the minister came under fire for alleging that Malaka was embroiled in corruption and was siphoning money meant for public service for personal use.
Macpherson said he was unfazed by the personal attacks, which were a result of him stamping out corruption. He claimed the attacks were driven by critics and beneficiaries of the very corruption he was uncovering.
“I have personally been a target of coordinated disinformation campaign, including fabricated voice notes, false call logs and WhatsApps… [which circulated] to try suggest that Malaka is a victim of all of this,” he added.
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