AfriForum lays criminal charges against Fikile Mbalula
AfriForum today laid criminal charges of money laundering and corruption against Fikile Mbalula, former Minister of Sport, at the Brooklyn police station. This follows after Sedgars Sport, a supplier of sport products, allegedly payed between R300 000 and R680 000 in 2017 for the Mbalula family’s trip to Dubai.
AfriForum requested the Public Protector (PP) in 2017 to investigate the trip, who found that Mbalula had violated the Constitution and other legislation in this regard. She further ordered the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to launch an investigation into whether the funds used to pay for the trip had been proceeds from money laundering or not. However, the NPA has yet to take steps against Mbalula, according to AfriForum.
The PP found that Mbalula had visited Dubai without paying for the trip in advance and seemingly had no idea of how much it would cost. She also found that neither Mbalula nor his office had arranged for the trip. Mbalula did not paid for the trip months after returning and when debt collectors came knocking, he contacted his friend Yusuf Dockrat, director of Sedgars Sport, for a loan agreement of R684 000 to help pay for the trip. Among other, Sedgars Sport provided the uniforms worn by Team SA at the Olympic Games. According to the PP it had been “inappropriate” for Mbalula to enter into a loan agreement with Dockrat, because he was a director of an entity conducting business with Sascoc.
AfriForum further argues that Mbalula’s conduct also constitutes the crime of corruption as determined in the recent finding by the Supreme Court of Appeal in the State vs Scholtz and Others.
“The NPA’s failure to prosecute Mbalula on the PP’s recommendation compelled AfriForum to lay these charges. The Minister, by all indications, went on a vacation paid for by ‘dirty money’ and he unfairly benefited from his relationship with Sedgars; he must therefore be held accountable. No politician can be seen as above the law and therefore AfriForum’s anti-corruption unit feels that it is in public interest and the interest of justice that the NPA prosecute him without fear, favour or prejudice,” says Monique Taute, Head of AfriForum’s anti-corruption unit.
