Public works and infrastructure minister Dean Macpherson has laid criminal charges against suspended Independent Development Trust (IDT) CEO Tebogo Malaka and spokesperson Phasha Makgolane after their alleged attempt to bribe a journalist.
The charges laid against the duo include corruption, bribery, collusion and breaches of fiduciary duties in terms of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).
On Wednesday the Daily Maverick reported that the two allegedly offered its journalist R60,000 in cash on Sunday to suppress an investigation that the publication was working on.
In an explosive exclusive report, Daily Maverick released damning video evidence showing Malaka — who was suspended on Friday in connection with alleged tender irregularities — and Makgolane allegedly offering the journalist R60,000 in cash to suppress an ongoing investigation into Malaka’s private property dealings.
The IDT board met on Wednesday to deliberate on the serious allegations.
Macpherson said attempting to bribe a journalist to bury the truth is an attack not only on the free press but on democracy.
“It is an attempt to silence accountability, to undermine public confidence, and to shield corruption from exposure,” he said.
Briefing journalists outside the Cape Town central police station after laying the charges, Macpherson said watching the video of Malaka allegedly offering Pieter-Louis Myburgh a bribe made “me sick to my stomach and left me in disbelief”.
“It's one thing to hear about corruption; it's another thing to see it take place so blatantly and with a feeling of impunity. This stands in complete opposition to everything that I believe in and stand for as a minister. I briefed the board on my intended actions today and to understand what processes will unfold with regard to the disciplinary case against the suspended CEO,” he said.
Macpherson believes that Malaka’s attempt is not an isolated incident.
“It quite possibly extends to unimaginable spaces and individuals, and I have urged the SAPS this morning to uncover the full extent to which the tentacles of corruption have reached.”
Macpherson said Malaka also violated some of the conditions set by the board in her suspension. The conditions include that she may not leave Gauteng without permission from the board and that she may not speak to anyone from the IDT.
“I think it's safe to assume that those two may have already been violated by her being here in Cape Town the day after with an official from the IDT. But that process is within the board's ambit. I will not interfere in that and I will respect the path the board it is taking and their commitment and determination to see a speedy process.”
He said he had laid numerous charges with the police to investigate whether any other journalists were approached or offered similar inducements.
Macpherson wants police to look at:
- the funding and co-ordination of social media campaigns aimed at discrediting him and his staff;
- the role of politically connected individuals and public commentators in amplifying false information to shield wrongdoing and corruption; and
- any other acts of corruption or criminality linked to these attempts to interfere with media freedom and obstruct accountability.
He has requested the new IDT board to investigate all contracts issued under Malaka and take swift action to restore stability and accountability at the entity.
“Corruption cannot survive without enablers. It survives when individuals in power believe they can manipulate the media, intimidate whistle-blowers and weaponise public opinion to protect their own interests.
“Let me be clear: these actions are not just about one bribe or two individuals. They are about dismantling a culture of impunity that has overtaken parts of the public sector. These criminal charges do not exist in a vacuum. They are directly connected to the systematic failures and alleged corruption that we have uncovered in the PwC forensic investigation into the PSA oxygen plant tender.”
The fact that Makgolane confidently asked the journalist to nominate his own contractor clearly shows there is a network of individuals in the IDT who guarantee outcomes in exchange for cash, he said.
Macpherson has asked for the case to be transferred to the Hawks and to treat it with urgency.
On taking action against Makgolane, he said he was contracted to the CEO and only Malaka could take action against him.
“It's a strange and peculiar situation that exists where Malaka has to take action against the spokesperson. So it is an odd situation. I don't know how that was allowed to take place, but suffice to say that any disciplinary action that takes place against Ms Malaka will also affect the spokesperson — and as the person who was also party to the incident that we saw, he also has to face criminal questions.
“The board is trying to navigate through that but it is a complex situation.”
TimesLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.