Senior ANC man in KZN gets bail
THE ANC member tasked with convening the party’s interim leadership structure in KwaZuluNatal, Mike Mabuyakhulu, was granted bail of R50 000 in the Durban Commercial Crime Court yesterday.
Mabuyakhulu, listed as accused number 16, appeared alongside eight co-accused on charges of corruption, fraud, theft and money laundering.
The case related to alleged graft that took place between 2012 and 2013 when Mabuyakhulu was MEC for economic development and tourism.
One of his better-known coaccused is politically connected businessman Mabheleni Ntuli, a known backer of President Jacob Zuma.
The court heard that the department Mabuyakhulu then headed forked out R28 million for the North Sea Jazz Festival, which was supposed to be held in November 2012, although the event was cancelled.
But former head of department Desmond Golding, despite knowing the event was cancelled, did not stop payments, which ended up in the bank accounts of several of the accused and/or the entities they owned. The State alleged that Mabuyakhulu also fraudulently received payments.
Appearing for Mabuyakhulu, advocate Paul Jorgensen, Shaukat Karim and Tahima Lockhat told the African News Agency before proceedings they had “no idea” what the fraud and corruption charges related to.
Jorgensen said a warrant of arrest had been issued for Mabuyakhulu on Tuesday and his client had handed himself over yesterday morning.
Mabuyakhulu told the court he intended to plead not guilty and was able to pay R30 000 bail, but the State, which did not oppose bail, was seeking R100 000 each for him and Golding because as public servants they had been entrusted with overseeing public funds.
Mabuyakhulu’s legal team argued that everyone was equal before the law and that bail should not be increased because Mabuyakhulu once held a high-ranking position within the province.
Bail was eventually set at R50 000.
This was not the first time the former MEC had found himself inside a courtroom.
Mabuyakhulu once faced charges in the “Amigos” case of racketeering, fraud and corruption for his part in allegedly soliciting a R1 million bribe for the ANC from Uruguayan businessman Gaston Savoi.
The charges were officially dropped in 2012. The accused will appear again on April 6.