Black Business Council head faces charges
• Lobby group suspends president and asks police to probe missing R5m donation from Airports Company SA
In a dramatic turn of events, the Black Business Council has filed fraud and theft charges against its president, Danisa Baloyi, over a missing R5m donation. The council had also pressed criminal charges against former chief fund raiser Dominic Ntsele and Merit Energy, which received the cash from Airports Company SA on the council’s behalf, said council secretary George Sebulela. Baloyi was suspended as president on Monday.
In a dramatic turn of events, the Black Business Council has filed fraud and theft charges against its president, Danisa Baloyi, over a missing R5m donation.
The council has also pressed criminal charges against its former chief fundraiser, Dominic Ntsele, and Merit Energy, which received the cash from Airports Company SA (Acsa) on the council’s behalf, said council secretary George Sebulela.
Baloyi was suspended as president on Monday.
Sebulela confirmed there was “prima facie” evidence that Baloyi was implicated in the missing R5m, but cautioned that she was innocent until proven guilty and should have an opportunity to testify.
“Airports Company confirms it has asked the SAPS [South African Police Service] to investigate the trail of the funds after they were transferred on the basis of the payment information provided by the BBC [Black Business Council].
“The company will lay criminal charges if any wrongdoing is uncovered,” said an Acsa spokesperson, who declined to be named.
Through her lawyer, Baloyi said she had first read about her suspension in the media.
This was despite Sebulela saying Baloyi had been served with a letter last Friday.
“She found out in the media like the rest of SA,” Baloyi’s lawyer, Lesley Ramulifho, said.
Acsa said Baloyi had sent a written request to its CEO at the end of March stating: “The BBC’s president’s office has appointed Merit Energy to help facilitate the implementation of the campaign. Merit Energy will bill Acsa as discussed.”
The missing R5m donation from Acsa did not make it into the lobby group’s coffers.
Ramulifho rejected Acsa’s statement that the donation, which was meant to fund a transformation lobbying programme, had been brokered by Baloyi. He also denied that her office had instructed the funds be paid to Merit Energy.
Acsa said it was under the impression that Merit Energy facilitated the lobby group’s transformation programme.
“She [Baloyi] drafted the letter requesting money for the BBC,” said Ramulifho.
“This suspension is premature because she did not request money for Merit Energy. It cannot be, because the company is not even related to her.”
Baloyi has filled roles at Fidentia, an alleged Ponzi scheme, and at Absa, where she was fired from the board over her Fidentia links.