Tslatsana tells Zondo of death threats, irregularities and more ANC corruption

During an explosive state capture inquiry sitting, Mahikeng businesswoman and owner of Koreneka Trading and Projects Babadi Tslatsana named prominent ANC members while detailing the alleged capture of her business. 

The state capture inquiry commission sat for the first time on a Saturday to hear Tslatsana’s testimony, which began by implicating former SA Express (SAX) general manager Brian van Wyk. 

Tsalatsana claimed yesterday that van Wyk told her that R20 million had to be paid to former transport minister Dipuo Peters and former public enterprises minister Lynne Brown. 

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Her business, in which she was the sole owner, became a preferred bidder in 2014 to conduct ground-handling services at Pilansberg and Mahikeng airports. Koroneka was involved in the delivery of meat and vegetables to hospitals before winning the SAX contract, which Tslatsana conceded was out of her frame of reference, as she had no idea of how to do ground handling.

Van Wyk allegedly assured her to “just do the marketing and passengers’ flights, for them to get tickets, as well as the administration,” Tslatsana said in an earlier testimony on Thursday. 

She said the R20 million was destined for certain people, including Brown and Peters. Other ministers named in her testimony include North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo, Transport MEC Oageng Molapisi, North West Community Safety and Transport Management HOD Bailey Mahlakoleng, and the North West Department of Community Safety and Transport CFO.

Koroneka was therefore actively being used to direct millions to those set to benefit, at Van Wyk’s instruction, she said. 

Van Wyk also allegedly pressured Tslatsana to ‘donate’ money to the ANC, which she complied with, even though she conceded that she did not know why. Tslatsana ended up donating R1 million to the party in 2016. 

In addition to the shock allegations, Tslatsana claimed that she was fearful of being killed, telling Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo that she had received death threats, and was afraid that Mahumapelo would kill her if she spoke out about her the irregularities in her company’s hiring and the money directed to ministers. 

“Don’t you know that Supra needs your head, he wants to kill you,” she said an acquaintance told her in 2017. 

“They say you ran away with the airport money.”

“What did you think the ANC would do to you that you were fearing?” Zondo asked, to which she responded “To be killed, chair.”

The inquiry into state capture is set to resume on Monday. 

(Compiled by Nica Schreuder)

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