The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has secured a court order freezing a luxury Hartbeespoort property worth about R6 million that is allegedly linked to corruption and money laundering involving Gauteng High Court Judge Portia Dipuo Phahlane.

In a statement on Friday, National Director of Public Prosecutions Andy Mothibi described the seizure as part of an ongoing operation to restore trust in criminal justice in the country.

“No person is above the law, particularly those entrusted with positions of authority, integrity, and public confidence. The NPA has a constitutional duty to act decisively where credible evidence points to corruption within institutions responsible for administering justice,” Mothibi said.

ALSO READ: Nku grilled over R60,000 cash in Aeroton cocaine bust

“The credibility of both public institutions and social institutions is severely undermined when corruption infiltrates structures that society relies upon for justice, integrity and moral leadership,” he added.

The preservation order was obtained by the NPA’s Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.

It places the property under the control of a curator bonis, a court-appointed individual or institution responsible for managing the financial and property affairs of an incapacitated person, and prevents anyone from selling, transferring or dealing with it while forfeiture proceedings are finalised.

According to the NPA, the Hartbeespoort property, purchased in 2022, was allegedly acquired partly with the proceeds of unlawful activities, including corruption and money laundering.

The application forms part of an ongoing criminal prosecution before the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, where six accused, including Phahlane, are facing corruption-related charges.

The prosecution says the preservation application is based on evidence gathered during an extensive investigation by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks).

According to court papers, investigators allege that between late 2021 and early 2022 a corrupt arrangement was established involving controversial International Pentecost Holy Church (IPHC) faction leader Bhekumzi Mike Sandlana, court interpreter Morongwa Malope and Judge Phahlane.

ALSO READ: Mbalula accuses Zuma of stoking anti-foreigner tensions for votes

The NPA said meetings allegedly took place in Brits, Nigel and Pretoria East, where cash payments were made and discussions held regarding the manipulation of pending church leadership litigation.

Investigators further allege that substantial funds linked to entities associated with the church dispute were channelled towards purchasing the Hartbeespoort property, which is registered in Phahlane’s name.

The evidence before court includes financial records, electronic tracking data, sworn statements, and documentary material which the NPA contends objectively corroborate the allegations.

The preservation application further alleges that the property constitutes the proceeds of unlawful activities arising from corruption-related offences and was also used in the commission of money laundering.

“Further proceedings may follow against additional persons alleged to have facilitated, benefited from, or participated in the unlawful activities under investigation.”

Mothibi stressed how corruption cases rarely involve only two individuals.

“Corruption seldom exists as a compact between only two individuals. It is sustained by networks of facilitators, intermediaries, beneficiaries, and enablers who contribute to the commission and concealment of criminal conduct. This matter illustrates this reality,” he said.

Mothibi also warned that corruption within the justice system undermines confidence in democratic institutions.

“The justice system depends fundamentally on public trust. Judges, court officials, prosecutors, law enforcement officials, and all those within the justice cluster carry a heightened responsibility to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law.”

The NPA commended the Hawks investigator involved in the matter, saying complex corruption and money laundering cases require meticulous financial analysis, disciplined evidence gathering and sustained investigative expertise.

Phahlane was arrested in November 2025 alongside her son, Kagiso Phahlane, as well as IPHC Jerusalem faction leader Michael Sandlana and church spokesperson Vusi Ndala.

The case stems from allegations that Phahlane accepted more than R2 million in bribes from Sandlana in exchange for delivering judgments favourable to his faction in the long-running leadership dispute within the IPHC following the death of church leader Glayton Modise in 2016.

Prosecutors allege the money trail uncovered by investigators links millions of rand to the accused and ultimately to the acquisition of the Hartbeespoort property.

ALSO READ: Ramaphosa to 30 June protesters: Break the law and face full force of the state

Phahlane has denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that the criminal case is driven by a personal vendetta arising from the bitter church succession battle.

Through her lawyer, Piet du Plessis, she previously said allegations of corruption surfaced after she refused an application for her recusal during the church litigation.

The criminal prosecution against Phahlane and her co-accused remains before the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court while the NPA continues with efforts to forfeit the Hartbeespoort property as alleged proceeds of crime.

INSIDE POLITICS

The post NPA freezes R6 million Hartbeespoort property linked to corruption-accused Judge Portia Phahlane appeared first on Inside Politic.

Gauteng High Court Judge William Karam has said that the attempted murder trial involving alleged criminal kingpin Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala and his co-accused must proceed as scheduled, as the interests of justice cannot be undermined by further delays.

Matlala, his wife Tsakane Matlala, Musa Kekana and Tiego Mabusela appeared in the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on Wednesday for a pre-trial hearing ahead of the trial, which is scheduled to begin on 20 July.

The case also involves Nthabiseng Nzama, who is among the accused in the matter.

The accused face 25 charges, including 11 counts of attempted murder, arising from three alleged shooting incidents between August 2022 and January 2024. The charges include allegations linked to the October 2023 shooting involving actress and influencer Tebogo Thobejane, Matlala’s former lover.

Wednesday’s hearing was dominated by concerns raised by Kekana’s recently appointed attorney, Joe Strauss, about funding for the defence and the availability of preferred counsel, who is reportedly committed to other matters during part of the trial period.

Kekana informed the court on Monday that his previous defence counsel, Hlatshwayo Radebe, had withdrawn his services.

However Strauss was not present at that pre-trial hearing, therefore halting proceedings.

Judge Karam made it clear that the court had already invested significant time and resources in ensuring the matter was trial-ready and that the agreed trial date would not be easily disturbed.

“We have had multiple hearings in this matter in order to get the matter trial ready,” Karam said.

He reminded the parties that all legal representatives had previously agreed that the matter would commence on 20 July and proceed uninterrupted.

“All counsel confirmed that the matter would proceed, would commence uninterruptedly from the 20th of July,” the judge said.

The court heard that Kekana’s legal team had only been partially funded for consultations and preparation, with funding for the actual trial still outstanding.

Strauss told the court that his client had undertaken to secure the necessary funds before the end of June.

Karam warned that the court would hold Kekana to that undertaking.

“The court is holding you to your undertaking that funding will be received by the 30th of June,” he said.

The judge also rejected any suggestion that the unavailability of a preferred advocate could derail the proceedings.

“The bottom line is that this trial is proceeding on the 20th of July,” Karam said.

Karam said the interests of justice went beyond the interests of one accused and included the rights of co-accused, complainants, and the public.

“The interests of justice are to further those of society and the public in general that justice is determined. It is further in the interests of the complainants in this matter that the matter proceed and that justice is done and is seen to be done,” he said.

Karam warned that he would not permit the court to be left in uncertainty over representation issues when the trial date arrived.

The matter was postponed to 30 June for a further update on funding and trial readiness.

Matlala, Kekana and Mabusela remain in custody, while Tsakane Matlala and Nzama are on bail.

INSIDE POLITICS

The post Judge says Cat Matlala attempted murder trial will go ahead despite funding dispute appeared first on Inside Politic.

Former president Jacob Zuma is expected to ask the Constitutional Court on Wednesday to overturn a ruling that he repay nearly R29 million in public money spent on his private legal battles.

Zuma is challenging a Gauteng High Court order that he repay R28,960,774.34, plus interest, to the Office of the State Attorney for legal fees incurred in his criminal prosecution and related litigation over several years.

ALSO READ: Eswatini tells citizens in SA to stay in contact with official missions as anti-illegal migrant tensions rise

The case is the latest stage in a long-running battle over whether the state was entitled to fund Zuma’s private legal defence, including litigation linked to his arms-deal corruption prosecution.

The Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters previously challenged the arrangement, arguing that taxpayers should not be made to fund Zuma’s personal legal costs.

In 2018, the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria found that the state was not liable for legal costs incurred by Zuma in his personal capacity. The Supreme Court of Appeal upheld that finding in 2021, ruling that the State Attorney Act did not authorise the state to pay Zuma’s private legal fees.

The SCA said attorneys and counsel appointed to represent Zuma were acting for him personally, not on behalf of the government. It also found that the state was obliged to take steps to recover the money.

ALSO READ: Jub Jub released on R5,000 bail after urgent court bid

In October 2025, the Gauteng High Court ordered Zuma to repay the R28,960,774.34, with interest. The court gave him 60 days to pay and said the State Attorney could take enforcement steps if he failed to do so.

Zuma later failed in a High Court bid for leave to appeal the repayment order.

He has argued that he should not personally bear the liability because the payments were authorised by state officials.

INSIDE POLITICS

The post ConCourt hears Zuma bid to avoid R29m legal-fees repayment appeared first on Inside Politic.

Media personality and musician Molemo “Jub Jub” Maarohanye was released on R5,000 bail on Tuesday after bringing an urgent application before the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg.

Maarohanye had initially been expected to appear in the Germiston Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday following his arrest in connection with an alleged altercation involving an e-hailing driver in Edenvale on Sunday morning.

Police said the 45-year-old television presenter was arrested after the driver reported that he had been “confronted” by Jub Jub, after dropping off a female passenger at a residence in Edenvale.

According to police, the suspect accused the driver of being romantically involved with his girlfriend before allegedly forcing him into a vehicle and preventing him from leaving.

Police further alleged that a firearm was discharged in the direction of the driver during the confrontation.

“The e-hailing driver managed to escape unharmed and immediately drove to a nearby police station to report the matter,” police said in an earlier statement.

Police initially said Maarohanye was expected to face charges including kidnapping, unlawful discharge of a firearm and defeating the ends of justice.

However, the charge now before court is one of pointing anything likely to lead a person to believe that it is a firearm.

Maarohanye previously served prison time for culpable homicide after he and co-accused Themba Tshabalala crashed their cars into a group of schoolboys in Soweto in 2010, killing four and seriously injuring two others.

He was initially convicted of murder in 2012, but the conviction was reduced on appeal to culpable homicide in 2014. He was released on parole in January 2017.

The latest matter was postponed to 22 June in the Germiston Magistrate’s Court for further investigation.

INSIDE POLITICS

The post Jub Jub released on R5,000 bail after urgent court bid appeared first on Inside Politic.

The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has dismissed suspended SAPS Organised Crime Sergeant Fannie Nkosi’s appeal against the refusal of bail, ruling that the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court correctly found that his release would not be in the interests of justice.

Delivering his judgment on Wednesday, Judge Mokhine Mosopa upheld the earlier decision by magistrate Thandi Theledi, who denied Nkosi bail after finding that he had failed to prove he would not pose a danger to the public, evade trial, or interfere with the investigation and witnesses.

Nkosi faces charges including defeating the ends of justice, unlawful possession of ammunition and explosives, theft, failure to secure firearms and failing to protect ammunition.

“I see no need to interfere with the judgment of the bail court, as the magistrate did not exercise her discretion wrongly. This appeal ought not to succeed. The appeal against the Pretoria North Magistrate Court refusal to grant bail is hereby refused,” Mosopa said.

A key issue before the court was whether Nkosi’s release would undermine public confidence in the criminal justice system and disturb public peace and security.

Mosopa agreed with the lower court’s findings, noting the seriousness of the allegations against a police officer.

He also rejected arguments by Nkosi’s advocate, Hendrik Potgieter, that the magistrate had improperly relied on public opinion in refusing bail.

“The applicant is a member of the SAPS and the allegations against him involve serious misconduct and abuse of office. The release of the applicant in these circumstances would likely undermine public confidence in the criminal justice system.

“While this court does not rely on media narratives, the objective seriousness of the allegations and the applicant’s position are sufficient to conclude that his release will disturb public order,” he said.

Mosopa highlighted evidence presented during the bail proceedings regarding ammunition, cash and police equipment allegedly found in Nkosi’s possession.

“The fact that he is a police officer and abuses trust. This is against the backdrop that the police officer keeps a large amount of unexplained cash. He keeps unlawful ammunition. There is also a firearm register where there is no evidence that such has been reported to the SAPS,” he said.

The court heard that approximately 490 rounds of ammunition of various calibres were allegedly found in Nkosi’s possession.

According to the judgment, additional ammunition was later returned to SAPS, including R5 rifle ammunition issued to him during his service.

Potgieter contended that the magistrate had erred in both fact and law and that the High Court should overturn the ruling.

He disputed the significance of the ammunition discovered during the search of Nkosi’s home.

“With the number of firearms that the appellant has registered to his name, 400 rounds of ammunition is not a large quantity. He’s a licensed gun owner. The firearms and ammunition were seized by the police; they’re no longer in his possession. So, the reason that he would place society in danger does not exist any more because they were taken by the police,” Potgieter said.

But Mosopa was unconvinced, finding that the magistrate had properly considered all relevant evidence and legal principles.

Nkosi will remain in custody. His next appearance in court is set for 22 July.

INSIDE POLITICS

The post Fannie Nkosi bail appeal dismissed appeared first on Inside Politic.

The Gauteng High Court has handed down a ruling in favour of the Economic Freedom Fighters leader, Julius Malema, in the matter against social media commentator Musa Khawula.

The High Court has found that Khawula wrote defamatory, untrue, and unlawful accusations about Malema, his wife, Mantoa Matlala, regarding their marital status.

The Gauteng High Court has ordered controversial entertainment blogger, Khawula, to apologise to Malema for making defamatory comments about him.

Khawula falsely claimed on a post on X (Twitter) that Malema was divorced from his wife.

INSIDE POLITICS

The post Gauteng High Court rules in favour of Malema appeared first on Inside Politic.

An IOL report outlines how the ruling follows allegations that Mphephu‑Ramabulana and his family benefited from luxury gifts and property purchases funded through Vele Investments between 2015 and 2017.

These included a Range Rover, BMW 750Li, two Mercedes‑Benz V250s, and a Dainfern property worth R7.2 million. Liquidators argued that these assets were acquired using proceeds of fraud and theft linked to the VBS scandal.

ALSO READ: Iran hits back after the US bombs a key island as the war enters its third week

In their defence, the former king and his co‑respondents maintained that the transfers were customary gifts, known in Venda tradition as uluvha.

They described uluvha as a legitimate cultural practice, a mark of respect bestowed upon traditional leaders, and insisted that such gifts should not be equated with unlawful enrichment.

Their legal team argued that the matter lay at the intersection of insolvency law and African customary law, stressing that South Africa’s Constitution recognises plural legal traditions and demands respect for cultural diversity.

ALSO READ: Fear or Protection? Shibiri’s refusal to name alleged co-conspirators signals deeper concern

Despite these arguments, Acting Judge Johann Gautschi ruled that the payments constituted dispositions without value under the Insolvency Act and must be set aside.

He ordered Mphephu‑Ramabulana to repay R4.39 million, while the Dzata Trust was directed to pay R8.12 million, including amounts used to settle its bond account.

Thovhakale was ordered to repay nearly R3 million, and together with the ex‑king, an additional R1.78 million. All amounts are subject to interest from the date of judgment until final payment.

INSIDE POLITICS

The post Court orders dethroned Vhavenda king to repay R 17.3m in VBS case appeared first on Inside Politic.

Witness F has withdrawn his urgent application in the North Gauteng High Court, seeking to block his appearance before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, clearing the way for him to return to the witness stand on Monday.

The partially in-camera witness had approached the High Court in a bid to interdict the Commission from compelling his testimony and from displaying WhatsApp exchanges extracted from his cellphone.

ALSO READ: Civil society asks Ramaphosa to block murder-accused Solly Lechoenyo’s Special Forces promotion

Through his legal representatives, Witness F argued that the use of the messages and his continued testimony could infringe on his constitutional right against self-incrimination.

The urgent application was set down to be heard this week, just days before his scheduled second appearance before the Commission.

However, the court challenge was abandoned after the Commission proceeded with his testimony last week and began presenting the WhatsApp communications in question during the hearings.

The development marks a significant turn in the ongoing inquiry, which is investigating explosive allegations involving senior law enforcement figures and alleged criminal networks.

Witness F has featured prominently in recent testimony.

He was previously identified in CCTV footage captured at the home of alleged cartel member Katiso “KT” Molefe.

The footage, shown during Commission proceedings, depicts Witness F leaving Molefe’s residence carrying a bag, a detail that has drawn sharp scrutiny from evidence leaders.

The Commission, chaired by former Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, has been examining the nature of relationships between certain police officials and individuals alleged to be involved in organised criminal activities.

ALSO READ: O’Sullivan rejects spy claims, outlines background before Parliament committee

The WhatsApp exchanges extracted from Witness F’s phone form part of the Commission’s efforts to establish communication patterns and possible coordination between implicated parties.

It remains unclear whether Witness F will raise further legal objections when he resumes testimony.

However, with the urgent application now withdrawn, there is no immediate legal impediment to his appearance.

Proceedings are expected to resume on Monday, when Witness F returns to the stand for continued questioning.

ALSO READ: IPID says forensic gaps, budget strain and non-compliant metros weaken police oversight

INSIDE POLITICS

The post Witness F withdraws urgent court bid, set to resume testimony at Madlanga Commission appeared first on Inside Politic.

Former President Jacob Zuma has lost his Gauteng High Court bid to appeal the order compelling him to repay R28.9 million in state-funded legal fees.

The court dismissed his application for leave to appeal the repayment order and ruled that neither a full bench nor the Supreme Court of Appeal would reach a different conclusion.

The ruling means Zuma must repay the funds within 60 days or risk assets, including his presidential pension, being seized.

This case stems from years of litigation where opposition parties, including the DA and EFF, challenged the state’s funding of Zuma’s private legal battles.

It follows another Zuma legal battle.

On Thursday, Zuma appeared in the Pietermaritzburg High Court for proceedings in his long-running arms deal corruption case. The matter is yet to come to trial.

He appeared alongside representatives of French arms company Thales, his co-accused, as both sought leave to appeal a ruling that dismissed their bid to halt the prosecution.

Zuma faces multiple charges of fraud, corruption, money laundering, and racketeering linked to South Africa’s controversial multibillion-rand arms procurement programme.

Thales is accused of agreeing to pay him bribes through payments allegedly facilitated by his former financial adviser, Schabir Shaik, who was convicted of fraud and corruption in 2005.

INSIDE POLITICS

The post Zuma loses bid to appeal R 28.9m legal fee order appeared first on Inside Politic.

Former riot police Abraham Engelbrecht (61) and former Benoni Security Branch member Pieter Stander (60) were found guilty of the murder of student activist Caiphus Nyoka, while their co-accused Leon van den Berg, was acquitted.

Nyoka, who was a member of the Congress of South African Students (COSAS), was killed in his home in Daveyton in 1987.

The Gauteng High Court found Engelbrecht and Stander guilty of their role in the killing, ruling that the evidence against them was sufficient to secure a conviction.

Van den Berg, under whose command the raid was devised, was cleared of all charges due to insufficient evidence directly linking him to the crime.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), at around 02h30 on 24 August 1987, Stander, Engelbrecht and other members of the Reaction Unit arrived at Nyoka’s homestead and stormed his room.

They found him sleeping alongside three friends.

After identifying him, they removed the friends from the room and then shot him nine times.

He died at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds.

INSIDE POLITICS

The post Two of three apartheid police officers found guilty of Caiphus Nyoka murder appeared first on Inside Politic.