SEE | The letter the Hawks sent to Ace Magashule's lawyer on his arrest warrant

A warrant of arrest has been issued for ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule in connection with a serious corruption probe in the Free State.

This was stated in a letter – seen by News24 – to Magashule’s lawyer Victor Nkwashu.

"Please be advised that a warrant of arrest has been issued on 10 November in order to secure his appearance in court."

The letter said Magashule is expected to appear in court on Friday.

It said that he was expected to hand himself over to the investigating officer in the case on 13 November before 10:00.

"Arrangement has been made with the Public Prosecutor to process the case on the same day 13 November. Failure to comply with this request will result in securing his attendance without any prior notice," read the letter.

ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule is expected to appear in court on Friday.

ANC top six meets following arrest warrant for Ace Magashule

The ANC's top six is meeting on Tuesday night, hours after the Hawks had secured a warrant of arrest for secretary-general Ace Magashule.

News24 has reliably learnt that the meeting began at 20:00 virtually. 

Two party insiders have told News24 that President Cyril Ramaphosa summoned the party's top brass in the afternoon, shortly after the news emerged.

The ANC said it will be monitoring developments around the warrant of arrest of its secretary general Ace Magashule.

In a statement on Tuesday, party spokesperson Pule Mabe said it learned through the media of the issuance of a warrant of arrest against Magashule.

"This afternoon, Secretary General advised the movement that he will be in consultation with his legal team to best respond to the latest developments and to guide any response on the matter.

"The Secretary General previously spoke about his imminent arrest and had requested his legal team to establish the validity of such an arrest with the relevant authorities," Mabe said.

He said Magashule stated on more than one occasion that he would cooperate with any process undertaken by law enforcement agencies.

"The ANC will be monitoring these developments closely and will accordingly communicate on any update should the need arise."

BOOK EXTRACT: Gangster State – The ANC's asbestos benefits

One of the most enduring allegations against Magashule is that he ran a bona fide shakedown operation in the Free State.

The former premier allegedly made sure that businesspeople who got contracts from provincial departments and municipalities paid their dues to him as soon as they received money from the public purse.

The Free Front Plus hailed Magashule’s arrest as "good news for South Africa". 

"This shows that the wheels of justice are indeed turning, albeit very slowly. Experience has taught that once the first domino in a row falls, the rest will soon follow," the party said in a statement on Tuesday. 

The FF Plus said it wanted to see that the investigation was conducted thoroughly and that "Magashule is duly and successfully prosecuted so that if he is found guilty, he will be given the heaviest penalty, even imprisonment if appropriate".

Ace Magashule's reaction when he found out about the warrant of arrest [for subscribers] 

"I have not done anything wrong, I am a law-abiding citizen," ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule said moments after it emerged that a warrant of arrest was issued for him on Tuesday. 

Magashule was out campaigning for the ANC ahead of the Super Wednesday by-elections where he was making promises to the community of Ward 130 and handing out cash when the penny dropped. 

His supporters, including national executive committee (NEC) member Dakota Legoete, were quick to usher him to a corner to brief him on the developments as journalists laid in wait for Magashule to react.

DA in Free State welcomes news of Ace Magashule arrest warrant

The DA in the Free State has welcomed the news that an arrest warrant has been obtained against ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule.

"We are very happy that at last the man who has been plundering the province and impoverishing its citizens since 1994 will face justice. He has acted with impunity for 26 years, and the DA's legal battle, which lasted over many years, has at last brought Mr Magashule before the law.

"Magashule still has many other issue[s], among others the Vrede Dairy Project, that he has to answer for before the courts," DA MPL Leona Kleynhans said.

The DA will ensure justice is done.

"The tragedy of the destruction of the Free State and the plundering of state coffers by Mr Magashule will hopefully now be brought to an end as the wheels of justice turn against him.

"The wheels of justice do indeed turn exceedingly slow, but the DA will continue to ensure that its inexorable movement will not be stopped."

ICYMI

Asbestos case arrests: ANC Free State locked in meetings over fate of arrested leaders

Ousted Mangaung metro mayor Olly Mlamleli's future hangs in the balance as the ANC officials in the Free State have been locked in talks after her arrest on Wednesday.

News24 reported that Mlamleli was arrested on Wednesday morning and taken to Bainsvlei police station in Bloemfontein.

News24 understood that the arrests were related to the controversial asbestos contract, which Mlamleli was fingered for during her stint as MEC.

Officials in the province convened an urgent meeting following the arrests of Mlameli and other high-profile people in the province.

ICYMI

State capture: The evidence on Magashule and co - what investigators know about R255m kickbacks

The state capture commission of inquiry has heard that procurement processes were manipulated in the awarding a controversial R255 million contract for an asbestos audit project.

The contract was secured by a joint venture between engineering consultancy firm Blackhead Consulting and Diamond Hill Trading 71 in 2014.

On Tuesday, the head of the commission's legal team, advocate Paul Pretorius, SC, gave a lengthy opening statement about what the inquiry was expected to hear about alleged corruption in the Free State.

Pretorius said the pocketing of millions of rands, which were meant to improve the lives of the poor, was a "sorry tale".

FOR SUBSCRIBERS

EXPLAINER | Ace Magashule warrant: What you need to know about the Free State asbestos deal

 - A warrant of arrest has been issued for ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule in relation to the R255 million asbestos audit contract.

 - The deal aimed to eradicate asbestos in low-cost houses in the Free State, but allegedly became a means to funnel money to senior politicians.

 - News24 takes a look at what the asbestos contract was, what the issues with the contract were, and who seemingly benefitted.

FOR SUBSCRIBERS

ICYMI

Adriaan Basson | Ace in a hole: How justice is creeping up on Magashule

ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule had good reason to look unnerved during Monday's media briefing at which President Cyril Ramaphosa laid down the law on corruption in the governing party.

As Ramaphosa was detailing steps to cleanse the party of thugs, thieves and constitutional delinquents, Magashule was moving around uncomfortably on his chair. At some point, during the Zoom call, he even got up and left.

His name has repeatedly popped up during evidence at the Zondo commission, in relation to the R200 million Free State asbestos audit project and the R240 million Estina dairy farm in Vrede. This has piqued the interest of Zondo's investigators, who are now looking at the secretary-general in even more depth.

FOR SUBSCRIBERS

ANALYSIS | The case against Ace Magashule in the R280m Gupta Estina dairy farm scandal

 - The ANC's secretary general Ace Magashule is set to be charged with various corruption-related counts this week.

 - This follows the arrests of seven people in September linked to a Free State asbestos audit tender scandal.

 - Their arrests renewed questions over the lack of criminal enforcement action against the former Free State premier.

 - Allegations of impropriety and corruption have clouded Magashule's reign as ANC secretary-general.

 - Magashule's role in the Estina dairy project, which netted the Gupta family millions, continues to raise questions.

Magashule responds:

ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule has said he will consult with his lawyers on Tuesday afternoon following news of a warrant for his arrest.

Magashule downplayed the news on Tuesday that he would be expected to hand himself over and appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, in relation to corruption in the Free State.

"I will talk to my lawyers this afternoon. It has been coming all the time, so I am not worried at all," he told reporters in Soweto.

Magashule maintained his innocence in the matter.

"So let's see, if it happens, it will happen. I am not worried because I know I have not done anything wrong as a law-abiding citizen," he said.

Magashule also noted that he was yet to personally hear about the matter from the Hawks.

More to follow.

BREAKING | WANTED! Hawks secure arrest warrant for Ace Magashule in R255m asbestos corruption probe

The ANC's secretary-general Ace Magashule is set to be charged with various corruption-related counts this week.

According to the Daily Maverick - and subsequently confirmed to News24 by sources with direct knowledge of events - a warrant of arrest has been issued for Magashule.

He could appear in court as early as this week.

ICYMI

Ace Magashule's foundation failed to pay university fees in Turkey, stranded students claim

A student in Turkey claims she is stranded because the Ace Magashule Foundation has failed to pay her fees.

Kagiso Thakadu spoke to internet-based radio station Salaamedia on Tuesday and said some students who went to Turkey on a bursary from the foundation were unexpectedly moved to another university but were unable to start classes because funds for the previous year had not been paid.

"Every academic year starts in September. We did our first year and now we are going to be moved to another university. I honestly don't know the reason why. I don't know if it's financial implications. Schools have opened, the classes have started and we are missing school work. It's been two weeks. We are not attending anything," she said.

Thakadu added that the foundation did not explain why they were moved.

ICYMI

'Step down SG': ANC Free State members call for Magashule's head

"We are calling for our secretary-general, Ace Magashule, to step down".

These were the words of a group of ANC Free State members who converged on Luthuli House, the party's headquarters, to demand "corrupt elements" be flushed out.

Party members, who said they were affected by the beleaguered asbestos and Estina dairy farm projects, were calling on the Top Six to root out corrupt leaders in the party, especially Magashule.

ICYMI

'We will engage with Comrade Mbalula' – Ace Magashule after Twitter spat

Embattled ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule says he is open to discussions with his ANC colleague and Transport Minister, Fikile Mbalula.

"Members of the ANC, including Comrade Mbalula, might have issues. We are pleading with them to raise matters internally. All of us must be happy that way because that's how the ANC cooperates, that's how the ANC works, we raise matters internally," he told journalists on Tuesday.

He was speaking outside the ANC's KwaZulu-Natal headquarters in Durban, where he was intervening in a dispute with uMkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans (MKMVA), who said more had to be done to maintain the welfare of all liberation soldiers.

ICYMI

'You attack Ace Magashule, you attack us' - supporters during march to Zondo commission

The ANC has no excuse for delaying a national general council (NGC) meeting, one of the organisers of the "Hands off Ace Magashule" campaign and ANC member of Parliament Thabo Mmutle told News24.

A fleet of cars were moving towards the Zondo commission to protest what they say is a "politically motivated attack" on former president Jacob Zuma and ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule.

The protest was organised shortly after reports emerged this week that an alleged warrant of arrest would be executed against Magashule. The Hawks have denied the existence of such a warrant.

ICYMI

Hawks refute claims of Magashule’s imminent arrest