NATIONAL NEWS - AfriForum has laid criminal charges of money laundering and corruption against the former minister of sports and recreation Fikile Mbalula at Brooklyn police station on Tuesday.

The organisation accused Mbalula of getting special favours from the owner of Sedgars Sport, who was the supplier of sports products to the department.

The supplier allegedly paid between R300 000 and R680 000 in 2017 for a Dubai trip for Mbalula and his family.

AfriForum said it requested the public protector in 2017, to investigate the trip. The PP found that Mbalula had violated the constitution, but the national prosecuting authority was yet to take action.

“The PP further ordered the national prosecuting authority to launch an investigation into whether the funds used to pay for the trip had been proceeds from money laundering or not,” AfriForum said in a statement.

“However, the NPA has yet to take steps against Mbalula.”

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.

“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 the public interest and the interest of justice that the NPA prosecute him without fear, favour or prejudice,” said the head of AfriForum’s anti-corruption unit Monique Taute.

Among others, AfriForum claimed that Sedgars Sport provided the uniforms worn by team SA at the Olympic Games.

AfriForum said Mbalula’s conduct constituted the crime of corruption as determined in the recent finding by the supreme court of appeal in the state vs Scholtz and others.

Source: Caxton publication, Alberton Record.