Chief magistrate Desmond Nair appeared at the city’s Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Monday morning.
The magistrate has been charged with corruption linked to African Global or Global Technology Systems, a subsidiary of Bosasa, previously known as Sondolo IT.
During the State Capture Commission of Inquiry in 2019, Bosasa employee Richard Le Roux testified that the magistrate allegedly accepted R200 000 worth of security systems installations at his Pretoria home, including a full electric fence, CCTV and alarm systems.
Le Roux provided the commission with evidence about “special projects” he undertook at the behest of various Bosasa directors, including CEO Gavin Watson, chief operations officer Angelo Agrizzi, Trevor Mathenjwa, Syvion Dlamini and Papa Leshabane.
Investigating Directorate spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka said Nair allegedly granted the upgrades for his influence “to act in a dishonest or improper manner.”
But the magistrate was not the only beneficiary of sophisticated Bosasa-sponsored home security systems.
Others include then-Environmental Affairs Minister Nomvula Mokonyane, Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe (at the time ANC secretary-general), former South African Airways chair Dudu Myeni, deputy minister of Correctional Services Thabang Makwetla, ANC MP Vincent Smith, and the one-time procurement manager at Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, Mbulelo Gingcana.
According to Le Roux’s testimony:
The case has been postponed to 7 December for the defence to make representations.
Compiled by Narissa Subramoney
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