News24.com | State capture inquiry: Witness implicated in looting of KZN water board granted postponement

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State capture inquiry: Witness implicated in looting of KZN water board granted postponement

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Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.
Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.
Netwerk24
  • Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo granted Mboniseni Majola, who is at the centre of money laundering allegations, a postponement.
  • Majola's lawyer said his client was unwell, adding they were not embarking on delay tactics.
  • He also said they were not in a position to present a comprehensive affidavit yet.


Mboniseni Majola, implicated in large scale looting of public funds while he was still employed at the Mhlathuze Water Board, has been granted a postponement to submit his affidavit to the judicial commission of inquiry into state capture.

Majola's legal representative, advocate Francois Roets, on Wednesday presented medical documents to the commission, advising that his client was unwell. He, however, asked the commission not to disclose his client's health condition.

Majola was invited by the commission to provide his version via an affidavit. However, almost five months since allegations were made against him he has still not submitted one.

"It is clear, firstly, that we are not in a position, despite concerted efforts to present to this commission, and to you chair, a comprehensive affidavit which entails all that we have to say in answer to the evidence that we received," Roets said.

"The last thing ever that I want is for the chair to believe that we are playing games or embarking in delaying tactics. We know it is expensive to have the commission sit."

Evidence leader advocate Kate Hofmeyr said allegations against Majola were serious and his evidence was crucial.

'Nothing less than criminal conduct'

"Mr X's allegations against Mr Majola are very serious and, if true, they indicate nothing less than criminal conduct on the part of Mr Majola," Hofmeyr said.

Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo granted the postponement application, ordering Majola to submit his affidavit on or before 14 August.

In February, a witness identified only as Mr X, who testified in-camera, alleged that Majola coordinated the scheme of looting by involving various established engineering firms.

Mr X has also admitted that he was a participant in the scheme which looted the public purse.

He also alleged that Mhlathuze Water, whose board was chaired by former SAA head Dudu Myeni, used the bank accounts of a company that provided JoJo water tanks to Nkandla to move funds, News24 reported.

Mr X is the owner of a company called iSibonelo, which supplied the JoJo tanks to Nkandla in terms of an order from Mhlathuze Water.

Instructed to make payments

The man also alleged that a Mhlathuze Water supplier deposited funds into iSibonelo's bank account.

He said, during his testimony earlier this year: 

When the money is in my account it would be indicated on my phone. I would then phone him (Mr Majola) and tell him that the money has been deposited into my account.

"If he was busy, he would tell me to wait on further instruction on what to do with the money," Mr X added.

Mr X also alleged that Majola instructed him to make several payments to an engineering company referred to as Sifezakonke.

He said an amount of R150 000 was paid to the engineering company on 2 February 2015, as per Mr Majola's instructions.

Another R850 000 was paid the next day, also allegedly under Mr Majola's instructions, as well as R1 million on 9 March 2015, he said.


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