The presidency has denied a report by City Press that the corruption case against former transport minister S’bu Ndebele is set to be dropped, after Ndebele had allegedly “complained to President Jacob Zuma about political interference in his prosecution”.
“The allegations in today’s City Press newspaper that President Jacob Zuma had asked for an intervention in the case faced by the former Minister of Transport Mr S’bu Ndebele are totally false and without foundation,” the presidency said yesterday.
Three senior sources had told City Press last week that the matter could be dropped before the matter is referred to the high court.
Ndebele faces 15 charges including bribery, money laundering, corruption and fraud.
“He is alleged to have received a R10 million bribe in return for facilitating tenders worth R2 billion from the department of transport,” the article said.
City Press reported that, on Thursday, Ndebele and his co-accused, former transport director-general George Mahlalela, deputy director-general Gilbert Thwala, official Tebogo Mputi, businessman Sibusiso Mcube and Tasima, the company whose contract the department wanted to take over to manage its Electronic National Administration Traffic System (eNatis), will be making possibly their last court appearance at the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court.
“The president has no knowledge of the said intervention. The alleged involvement of the president is a total fabrication by City Press,” the presidency went on to say.
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