AfriForum is ratcheting up the pressure on ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula, demanding his prosecution over a controversial Dubai holiday. The private prosecution unit has slammed the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA)'s decision not to prosecute Mbalula as “patently irrational,” suggesting either selective prosecution or gross incompetence.
The Dubai Holiday Under Scrutiny
The case revolves around Mbalula's R680,000 trip to Dubai in 2016. A portion of the holiday was allegedly funded by Yusuf Dockrat, a director of Sedgars Sport, a supplier to the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) at the time. AfriForum alleges that the NPA and SAPS failed to adequately investigate the matter.
Key Allegations and Unanswered Questions
- The “Loan” Defence: Mbalula and Dockrat claim the R300,000 used to settle Mbalula’s debt was a “loan.” However, AfriForum questions the source of the remaining R380,000 paid in cash.
- Suspicious Cash Handling: Evidence suggests a sporting federation boss handled the cash, and funds were transferred to Mbalula via a businessman connected to a Deputy National Director of Public Prosecutions.
- Investigative Lapses: AfriForum argues the SAPS failed to properly investigate the source of the R380,000 cash, highlighting “stark” investigative shortcomings.
Advocate Gerrie Nel, head of AfriForum’s private prosecution unit, has stated that their submission to the NPA is comprehensive. He argues the NPA lacks understanding of corruption, leading to selective prosecution or outright incompetence. He insists that any competent investigator or prosecutor would recognize the significance of the uninvestigated aspects of the case.
The unit's submission to Adv. Shamila Batohi, the National Director of Public Prosecutions, urges for Mbalula, and potentially his benefactors, to be charged with corruption and money laundering. The coming weeks will reveal whether the NPA will heed AfriForum's call, or if the Dubai holiday saga will remain unresolved.