Johnathan Paoli
THE trial of former ANC Secretary-General and now founder of the African Congress for Transformation Ace Magashule, on allegations of corruption to the value of over R250 million over the Free State asbestos low-cost housing scandal – has been postponed.
The charges relate to a R255 million contract awarded in 2014 while Magashule was Free State Premier – to identify and eradicate asbestos roofing on low-cost houses across the Province, by means of a joint venture between businessman Edwin Sodi’s engineering firm Blackhead Consulting and the Diamond Hill Trading company.
Magashule together with 17 other suspects, including Sodi and former Human Development Director-General Thabani Zulu, are facing a total of more than 70 counts of fraud, corruption, and money laundering, among others.
Their trial kicked off in the High Court in Bloemfontein on Monday but the court postponed the matter to 14 June for pre-trial proceedings.
Magashule expressed frustration at the postponement and said the legal proceedings were a waste of time, considering the arrest of his ex-personal assistant Moroadi Cholota in the United States of America; as part of a conspiracy against him and his party.
“You can see all these things are staged, you can see the politics. You can see the involvement of the Americans,” he said.
Sodi too also said he was frustrated by yet another postponement since the matter was brought to court four years ago.
National Prosecuting Agency regional spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane confirmed Cholota’s arrest and said she is expected to appear in court in the US on Monday, but that information regarding extradition was still to be confirmed.
Magashule and his co-accused stand accused of receiving financial kickbacks for their roles in the scheme, with little to no work on the contract ever actually being realised.
Following a challenge to their prosecution, the Free State High Court dismissed the matter in March 2022, with the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) dismissing the subsequent appeal in May last year, and ruled that there were no reasonable prospects of success on appeal.
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