Graft charges for Mbalula after Dubai

Lobby group AfriForum laid criminal charges of money laundering and corruption against former sports minister Fikile Mbalula at the Brooklyn police station yesterday.

This comes after Sedgars Sport, a sports product supplier, allegedly raised between R300 000 and R680 000 for his family’s trip to Dubai in 2016, at a time when the company was doing business with the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc).

Head of AfriForum’s anti-corruption unit Monique Taute said in a statement the minister went on holiday with “dirty money after all indications and took unfair advantage of his relationship with Sedgars; he has to account for it”.

“No politician can be regarded as above the law, which is why AfriForum’s anti-corruption unit is of the opinion that it is in the public interest as well as in the interests of justice that the National Prosecuting Authority persecutes him without fear, favour, or prejudice.”

Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s investigation last year found that he was irresponsible and had indeed breached the executive ethics code for Cabinet members with conduct that was “grossly at odds” with the provisions of the constitution. He apparently had not known how much his holiday would cost, whether he could afford it, and who would ultimately pay for it.

He also changed his story on whether he was aware that a certain “Mr Siweya” had made the bookings for the trip through Munlin Travel.

Sedgars Sports allegedly channelled their money through an apparently inactive company called Reimon Uniforms.

Mbalula, his wife, and three children holidayed in Dubai from December 28, 2016, to January 3 2017, at the flashy Atlantis, The Palm Hotel, which was developed by Sol Kerzner’s company.

Mbalula issued a statement last year saying the trip was paid for using “private family financial resources”. He denied any involvement with the sports brand.

However, Mkhwebane found that the trip’s costs had escalated beyond R600 000 because the family had needed to travel first class due to a date change after initially being booked into business class. There were also no-show costs at the hotel due to the date change.

The final

R684 620.39. bill came to