Asbestos case: Attempt by Magashule and Sodi to quash prosecution dismissed

The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) on Tuesday dismissed, with costs, the attempts by former ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule and businessperson Edwin Sodi to question the validity of their prosecution in the R255 million Free State asbestos corruption case.

According to News24, the court ruled that the appeal had “no reasonable prospects of success… and there is no compelling reason why an appeal should be heard”.

R255m asbestos tender case

Magashule and his co-accused face charges of fraud, corruption, money laundering and contravention of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).

It relates to an asbestos tender awarded by the Free State Department of Human Settlement to Sodi’s Blackhead Consulting to audit, assess and remove asbestos from homes in the province.

Magashule was Free State premier at the time.

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The other accused in the asbestos case include former director-general of the national department of housing, Thabane Zulu, Nthimotse Mokhesi, Mahlomola Matlakala, Sello Radebe, Abel Kgotso Manyeki, Olly Mlamleli, Nozipho Molikoe, Albertus Venter, Moroadi Cholota and Margaret-Ann Diedericks.

In addition to Blackhead Consulting, three other companies – 602 Consulting Solutions, Mastertrade 232 and Ori Group – are among the accused.

Magashule says charges politically motivated

Magashule claims that he is innocent and the case is politically motivated.

“I know that there is that technicality of our appeal to the SCA… I hope this case will be speedily resolved. I am ready [to go on trial] because I know I have not done anything wrong. I have not stolen a cent of government money,” Magashule said in January.

He also insisted the charges against him were a ploy to prevent him from contesting for leadership positions within the ANC at the party’s elective conference in December.

“They know that they have no case [against me] and this is a political case that was meant to prevent me from standing in the ANC conference.”

Additional reporting by Thapelo Lekabe