R2m gesture of goodwill, says bishop

BISHOP Mzukisi Banzana told the Port Elizabeth Commercial Crimes Court yesterday that the more than R2-million he had received from a contractor was merely a gesture of goodwill by a service provider as an acknowledgement of his help.

Although the money was never paid directly to his account, Banzana admitted he benefited from it in the form of cars and the settlement of his home loan.

“On several occasions, I bailed MUM Construction [out]. Not only that, when they ran out of money to pay suppliers for the building materials and labour, I paid for it,” Banzana said

When asked by his defence, Advocate Tom Langehoven, why he went to these lengths to help the company, Banzana replied: “The trust [I headed] had an interest in the up-and-coming business. We did not want to have a negative track record of unfinished projects.”

The state alleges Banzana received a substantial sum of money from MUM Construction in exchange for the tender to build 1 211 RDP houses in Bethelsdorp.

Banzana, of Umzi Wase Topiya Church, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of corruption totalling R3-million, allegedly as kickbacks for securing work for contractors in the building industry.

Prior to the alleged commission of the offences, Banzana was the general manager of Mzingisi Development Trust, formed in 1992 by the Port Elizabeth business community and politicians, including late ANC stalwart Raymond Mhlaba.

The trust was formed with the specific aim of alleviating suffering and improving the standard of living in areas like Sowetoon-Sea, according to court documents.

The trial continues.