Staff Reporter
The National Prosecuting Authority has ordered an urgent internal investigation into how two high-profile cases linked to the City of Johannesburg and its Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) have been handled.
This followed investigative reports alleging that prosecutors failed to enrol matters despite claims of sufficient evidence being available.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the NPA said new National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Andy Mothibi had asked for a comprehensive briefing from the Director of Public Prosecutions for the Gauteng Local Division in Johannesburg, Livingstone Sakata, and wanted an internal probe to test the “veracity” of the allegations raised in two News24 reports.
“In as much as the NDPP is constrained in passing judgment on the manner in which both matters have been handled, [Mothibi] is concerned with the public perception created, hence the urgent investigation to ascertain the veracity of the allegations, in order to swiftly put [in place] adequate measures to address these matters,” said NPA head of communications, Bulelwa Makeke.
The articles were published on 31 January and 7 February.
One of the articles centres on Themba Mathibe, the head of the Johannesburg Development Agency, who was arrested in late January after a law-enforcement operation at the agency and later appeared in the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court on a money laundering charge. He was released on bail of R50,000.
Mathibe was arrested after allegedly being found with a substantial amount of cash. It is alleged the raid on the agency’s offices was linked to irregular contracts.
Mathibe has reportedly remained in his post following his arrest.
The second report referenced by the NPA relates to an alleged R64 million fraud and corruption case involving the City of Johannesburg’s power utility, City Power, and several executives, which News24 previously reported had stalled despite arrest warrants being approved.
In its reporting, News24 named City Power chief executive Tshifularo Mashava and executives Rendani Sadiki and Thamsanqa Mathiso among those allegedly implicated in the matter.
“Advocate Mothibi assures the public that where alleged criminality is identified with relevant and admissible evidence, impunity will never be allowed, and accountability will be ensured in all those matters to ensure that the rule of law is upheld,” said Makeke.
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