By Dylan Bettencourt
- The judge said the R255-million asbestos trial must go ahead after years of postponements and legal hiccups.
- Ace Magashule and 17 others face charges linked to a 2014 asbestos removal deal that allegedly led to millions in kickbacks.
After nearly four years of stalling, a Free State High Court judge has finally put his foot down and said the R255-million asbestos corruption case will go ahead with no more delays.
Former ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule, his former assistant Moroadi Cholota, businessman Edwin Sodi, and ex-Mangaung mayor Olly Mlamleli were all back in the dock on Tuesday. In total, 18 people are accused of fraud, corruption, and money laundering.
The charges come from a 2014 contract meant to remove asbestos from homes in the province. That deal allegedly led to R27 million in bribes.
On Tuesday, state prosecutor Johan de Nysschen told Judge Philip Loubser the state was ready to begin. But there was yet another hiccup — one of the accused, Mahlomola Matlakala, had a new lawyer who wasn’t in court. His legal team also only received documents on 11 April, making it impossible for him to plead.
Even worse, Matlakala’s former lawyer, Lebohang Mokhele — who was struck off the roll for stealing trust funds — still tried to represent him and was arrested last month.
De Nysschen asked for a short delay, no more than a month, to sort things out. But defence lawyer Laurance Hodes, representing Magashule and Sodi, wasn’t having it.
“There have been many postponements since the arrests in 2020,” he said, warning that any more delays could push the trial to 2026.
Cholota’s lawyer also raised issues. She is fighting extradition from the United States and hasn’t filed a court application to appeal a January ruling that allowed her arrest.
But prosecutor Tammy McPherson said no appeal had been filed and it was now too late to do so.
Judge Loubser was clear: “This case must proceed. We cannot keep postponing.”
After a short break, McPherson read out the full list of charges in court.
The case centres around a 2014 asbestos removal contract awarded to Diamond Hill Trading and Blackhead Consulting during Magashule’s time as Free State premier. The state alleges the accused benefited from massive kickbacks.
Pictured above: Ace Magashule and Edwin Sodi.
Image source: @MYANC and ActionSA
