According to a group of ANC members in the Free State, calling itself the Radical Economic Transformation Forces, Magashule’s charges “have nothing to do with the law per se, but are politically motivated charges”. 

Addressing the media on behalf of the group in Bloemfontein, Malefu Mofokeng says it is for this reason that they will stand in solidarity with Magashule on Friday when he appears before the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court where he faces 21 charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering. The charges against Magashule relates to the controversial asbestos deal worth R250 million that was awarded to a Gauteng-based joint venture in 2014 to assess and remove asbestos roofs in the province.

Whilst millions earmarked for this project remains unaccounted for, Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has since found the Provincial Human Settlements Department guilty for irregular procurement processes and Magashule guilty for failure to play an oversight role during his term as the Premier.

He stands accused along with seven other suspects, which include businessman Edwin Sodi, who is the CEO of Blackhead Consulting that scored the contract, and former Free State Human Settlements HOD Nthimotse Mokhesi, as well as former Free State MEC for Human Settlements, Olly Mlamleli, amongst others.

OFM News has previously reported that testimonies before the Zondo Commission revealed how the provincial department awarded the Blackhead Consulting and Diamond Hill Trading joint venture the multimillion-rand tender, despite not being able to carry out the entire asbestos contract as they lacked accreditation to handle any asbestos material.

Asbestos expert Jacobus Roets’s testimony before the Commission on August 2020 also revealed how the cost of the project charged by Sodi's company was "exorbitantly high".

OFM News