Mokgoro’s spokesperson, Vuyisile Ngesi, tells OFM News the mentioning of Mokgoro’s name does not mean he is implicated in any wrongdoing and that he is prepared to appear before the commission and cooperate should he be subpoenaed.

This, after Phatudi on Friday told the commission that former North West premier Supra Mahumapelo’s office approved the payment of R50 million for the running of the province’s two airports – the Pilanesberg and Mahikeng airports - by SA Express without following proper procurement procedures.

Phatudi further told the Commission that on March 16, 2015, the department received an invoice to make the R50m prepayment to the airline, without the amount having been budgeted for and that her former boss, head of the provincial department, Bailey Mahlakoleng, wrote to Mokgoro who was at that time the province’s acting director-general requesting for Mahumapelo’s office to pay the R50m prepayment on behalf of her department.

Phatudi said her department had no obligation to pay SA Express before the signing of the agreement, which Mahlakoleng had instructed the department’s legal section to draft.

OFM News