She is on Wednesday among 15 suspects appearing at the Bloemfontein High Court over the failed R255 million asbestos eradication project.

She says she never stole a cent from the multimillion-rand project and that she is the first MEC in the country to face charges with failure to do an oversight.

Among the eight charges Mlamleli is facing, is the failure to report corrupt transactions while in a position of authority.

"I want you to tell the South Africans and the world that there have been amounts of money mentioned about people in this country but I've never heard anything said that Olly Mlamleli has stolen so many rands, so many what-what, as when other people have been mentioned. I am not a thief," she adds.

Mlamleli has defended her tenure as the MEC and says during her time she worked hard as the MEC. She says she built houses for people and that she has not stopped helping her people. Mlamleli says she even built houses for the military veterans in Lourier Park.

She was arrested by the Hawks in September 2020. Her arrest came after the arrest of the businessman Edwin Sodi, former head of the Free State Department of Human Settlements Nthimotse ‘Tim’ Mokhesi, and former national Human Settlements Director-General Thabane Zulu.

The accused, in this case, includes Limpopo businessman, Sodi; former Mangaung Metro Mayor, Mlamleli; the former head of the Free State Department of Human Settlements, Mokhesi; the Director for Supply Chain Management at Human Settlements, Mahlomola John Matlakala; a businessman residing in Johannesburg, Sello Joseph Radebe; a Pretoria businessman, Abel Kgotso Manyeki; the former Director-General for the National Department of Human Settlements, Zulu; and Albertus Venter, who occupied a role in the Free State Premier’s office.

Meanwhile, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is adamant that they have a formidable case against the accused regarding the asbestos housing audit.

OFM News