Latest news with #Macpherson
Eyewitness News
a day ago
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
Family trust of suspended IDT CEO Tebogo Malaka believes she's been set up to lose her job
CAPE TOWN - The family trust of suspended CEO of the Independent Development Trust (IDT) Tebogo Malaka said she's part of an orchestrated campaign to remove her from her job. The Malaka family trust said the scandal that has erupted over her alleged attempts to bribe a journalist to stop investigating her was a trap. On Thursday, Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson laid a criminal complaint against Malaka for collusion, bribery and corruption - a week after she was suspended in connection with irregular tenders for oxygen supply to hospitals. But her family trust insists she's part of a set-up between the minister and journalist, Pieter-Louis Myburgh. ALSO READ: Macpherson says he suspects a wider network of corruption within IDT The Malaka family trust is questioning the legality of the hidden cameras that captured the meeting between Malaka, IDT spokesperson Phasha Makgolane and Myburgh on a wine farm in Stellenbosch. In explaining what is widely viewed from the extracted footage as a bribe being offered, Malaka said there was none, since no offer was made, no agreement was reached, and no money changed hands. Her family trust is demanding that all the footage of the meeting be released and an investigation be carried out into who installed the cameras and under what authority. 'Ms Malaka is being vilified not for wrongdoing, but for standing her ground. She deserves due process - not public trial by edited video and political theatre,' said family spokesperson, Ayanda Jele. According to the Regulation of the Interception of Communication Act - communication can only be intercepted if the person doing so, is party to the communication. Malaka's family is instead throwing Makgolane under the bus, saying he produced the R60,000 in cash and set up the meeting. 'Edited video and innuendo are not evidence. They are tactics of defamation,' reads the family statement. They said Malaka's only offence is clashing with Macpherson over the board and alleged administrative interference. Malaka said he's the one that must be investigated for allegedly colluding with journalists.
IOL News
a day ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Minister Macpherson faces backlash from ActionSA over alleged derogatory remarks
Minister Dean Macpherson is facing threats of being reported to the SAHRC for alleged racist remarks. Image: Independent Media Archives Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson is standing his ground against pressure to retract utterances that were allegedly degrading ActionSA supporters to worthless people amid threats to report him to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). The ActionSA held an online meeting on Thursday, discussing further steps to be taken against the DA's KwaZulu-Natal chairperson. The party, which had already referred Macpherson to the national Parliament's Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests for disciplinary action, is furious that he, outside the Pietermaritzburg High Court late last month, referred to 'over 500 Black ActionSA members' as pharas. ActionSA was demanding that the issue of calling its supporters pharas be given the same condemnation as Open Chats Podcast hosts, who are now being probed by the SAHRC for making derogatory remarks about coloured people. During a TikTok livestream discussion, ActionSA MP Alan Beesley said the SAHRC was the next step to hold the minister accountable for his utterances. 'After we reported Macpherson to the ethics committee in Parliament, and since we were hoping that he was going to apologise after we gave him a week to do so, which he had not done; that is going to continue. 'And we are going to launch a formal complaint with the SAHRC as this was a violation of the human rights of people, who were predominantly black, in a racist manner,' said Beesley. Instead of bowing to pressure to apologise, Macpherson accused ActionSA of being an attention seeker that was hellbent on distracting him from the fight against corruption. 'It's interesting that every time I am fighting corruption or dealing with critical issues in the department, ActionSA is trying to divert attention away from that issue,' he told this reporter last week. When asked to comment on the threats to refer him to the SAHRC, Macpherson said: 'My comment still stands.' Beesley announced taking alleged racist remarks to the SAHRC, shortly after Macpherson was at the Cape Town Central Police Station to open a case against the Independent Development Trust (IDT) suspended chief executive officer, Tebogo Malaka, and the trust's spokesperson, Phasha Makgolane, for trying to bribe a journalist. Beesley said Macpherson violated the rights that were protected by the Bill of Rights. Macpherson was caught in a video that found its way to social media, addressing DA supporters and leaders, including its Francois Rodgers, about the presence of ActionSA supporters outside the court, saying: 'There is a smallanyana (little) party (referring to ActionSA); they just brought up some people, and we don't know who they are since they are pharas; they gave them some green T-shirts. 'When you ask which party (they belong to), they said 'angazi' (I don't know), 'I am just here for one meal and one drink', and they were here for just singing and dancing.' Both the ActionSA and DA were in court attending a case they brought together against eThekwini Municipality for failing to fix sewage spillage around the city. Beesley said it was not premature to refer the matter to the SAHRC before being dealt with by Parliament, which is currently in recess. 'The SAHRC is here to protect human rights, while the ethics committee is here to protect the ethics of Parliament. We cannot divorce the fact that Macpherson is a member of Parliament and is a human being who is treating people differently. 'We should pursue him both as a member of Parliament and as an ordinary South African, because even if he made those comments as an ordinary South African, they would be out of line because you cannot mistreat people who are suffering the most, like that,' said Beesly. ActionSA provincial leader Zwakele Mncwango said Macpherson was refusing to apologise because 'he believed in what he said'. 'I think he does not see a reason why he must apologise as he stands by his words, and that is how he sees black people in South Africa. Unfortunately, he does not see anything wrong with what he said while he is a minister,' said Mncwango. He said Macpherson portrayed himself as a minister who was not prepared to use his ministerial position to help the homeless people out of their situation by building them houses. 'His arrogance will always show off, and even the DA has not said anything about this, and that tells you that it is in their DNA to stand with his views because if they also believed he is wrong, they should by now have spoken to him to apologise,' said Mncwango. ActionSA MP Mika Ngobeni, who was the livestream host, asked Mncwango to comment on parties in the Government of National Unity that were not criticising Macpherson in the same way they did against the podcast hosts who allegedly insulted coloured communities. Mncwango said this was because the legacy of apartheid was still hanging over. 'This requires all of us to work toward unity and to be true when it comes to reconciliation. If we ignore such matters or we look at them depending on who is saying what, we will never heal,' he said. [email protected]
The Star
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Minister Macpherson opens criminal case in explosive IDT bribery scandal involving suspended CEO
Hope Ntanzi | Published 7 hours ago Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has opened a criminal case at the Cape Town Police Station following shocking allegations of corruption and bribery involving senior officials at the Independent Development Trust (IDT). This follows a video that emerged showing Tebogo Malaka, the suspended IDT CEO, and spokesperson Phasha Makgolane allegedly trying to bribe investigative journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh with R60,000 to suppress a corruption exposé. Addressing the media outside the police station on Wednesday, Macpherson expressed his deep disgust and disbelief at the blatant corruption, stating, 'Watching the video of Ms Malaka allegedly offering Mr Myburgh a bribe of R60,000 made me sick to my stomach and left me in disbelief. ''It's one thing to hear about corruption. It's another thing to see it take place so blatantly and with a feeling of impunity. This stands in complete opposition to everything that I believe in and stand for as a minister.' Macpherson emphasised the gravity of the situation, describing the alleged bribery attempt as 'not just a criminal act but an assault on the institutional framework of government to provide services to the people of South Africa, especially in the social infrastructure space that the IDT is responsible for.' He condemned the attempt to bribe a journalist as 'an attack not only on the free press but on our democracy,' warning that it was designed to 'silence accountability, to undermine public confidence, and to shield corruption from exposure.' Macpherson recounted the longstanding governance failures and corruption scandals at the IDT, an entity plagued for years by tender irregularities, incomplete projects, and audit disclaimers. 'It was an entity in crisis, a state institution meant to serve the public, but instead consumed by dysfunction,' Macpherson said. Since assuming office, he said, efforts to restore integrity have been met with 'fierce resistance' from entrenched interests, aided by political parties like ActionSA and the EFF, and even some members of the media. Responding to misinformation and disinformation campaigns aimed at discrediting himself, his colleague Zimbini Hill, and the IDT's cleanup efforts, Macpherson stated, 'For months, the narrative being pushed by those resisting reform was that I, as the minister, was paying journalists to attack the IDT. Not only was this false, but it turned out to be a projection of what they were doing. ''They said I was paying journalists, and it turned out that they were then paying journalists.' He highlighted the irony that those implicated in corruption were attempting to bribe journalists themselves. Macpherson has formally opened cases against Malaka and Makgolane for the attempted bribery of investigative journalist Myburgh, and has called on other journalists who may have been approached to come forward. He said he is also pursuing investigations into coordinated social media campaigns aimed at discrediting the department and officials, as well as the involvement of politically connected individuals in spreading false information to protect corruption. 'Corruption cannot survive without enablers,' Macpherson said. 'It survives when individuals in power believe they can manipulate the media, intimidate whistleblowers, and weaponise public opinion to protect their own interests.' Linking the bribery allegations to wider corruption uncovered in a recent PwC forensic investigation into the R800 million PSA oxygen plant tender, Macpherson detailed serious irregularities including contracts awarded without valid licenses, inflated project costs, missing documentation, and disregard for treasury policies. The report recommended disciplinary action against Malaka and other senior officials. Macpherson condemned the environment of impunity under her leadership, stating that 'the IDC operated without the most basic governance and risk controls,' and now 'we see how that environment of impunity spilled beyond tenders into attempts to manipulate the media and obstruct public accountability.' Macpherson also called on the new IDT board to urgently investigate all contracts issued under Malaka's tenure, trace fund flows, and take swift action against anyone found complicit. He expressed confidence in the board and acting CEO's ability to dismantle corruption networks and restore the IDT as a credible delivery partner for social infrastructure projects. 'The board has acted with speed and determination since last Friday. They will attempt to delay, to distract, to deflect, and to threaten us, but they will not succeed. We have the upper hand, and we are winning the war against them.' Moreover, Macpherson appealed to the public, journalists, whistleblowers, and honest officials to speak out against wrongdoing. 'From the day I entered office, I took an oath to serve the public, to protect the constitution, and to safeguard our precious public resources. This oath does not allow me to tolerate corruption. It does not allow me to make excuses for wrongdoing.' He vowed, 'Those who abuse their positions will face consequences. Those who have tried to bar silence will fail. And those who fear that smear campaigns will protect corruption will learn that the truth will always prevail.' 'To journalists, whistleblowers, the public, and honest officials who continue to shine a light on wrongdoing, I have my respect and my gratitude. I will personally shield you from political parties, rogue journalists, and individuals who seek to threaten and intimidate you. Because the truth is worth fighting for,' he said. [email protected] Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. IOL Politics
Daily Maverick
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
‘Sick to my stomach' — Minister Macpherson lays criminal charges against suspended IDT CEO, spokesperson
Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson has laid criminal charges against suspended Independent Development Trust chief executive Tebogo Malaka and spokesperson Phasha Makgolane, vowing to 'win the war' after a brazen attempt to suppress a corruption investigation. Macpherson laid the charges on Thursday afternoon at Cape Town Central Police Station, a day after Daily Maverick published footage showing Malaka and Makgolane offering investigative journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh R60,000 in cash to shut down a probe into corruption at the IDT. Earlier communications with Makgolane included offers of monthly R100,000 payments and even the opportunity to nominate contractors for lucrative tenders. 'It made me sick to my stomach and left me in disbelief,' Macpherson said about the footage. He emphasised his personal commitment to combating wrongdoing, saying he would 'personally open cases against those accused of criminality because I must lead from the front'. The charges include corruption, bribery, collusion and multiple breaches of fiduciary duties under the Public Finance Management Act. The affidavit cites sections 3, 4, 12, 13 and 20 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act and calls for a broader investigation into other possible crimes stemming from the incident. Lerato Modisana, spokesperson for the IDT, said: 'As previously indicated, the IDT Board is actively considering the matters raised in the recent media coverage. We fully acknowledge the seriousness of these allegations and the heightened public interest they have generated. 'At this point in time, there are no additional developments we can share publicly. Once the Board has concluded its internal processes and is in a position to report on verified outcomes, a formal communication will be issued and we will ensure that all relevant stakeholders, including the media, are informed when the time is right.' Macpherson's affidavit calls for wide probe The minister describes the actions of Malaka and Makgolane as 'an assault on the institutional framework of government' and 'an attack on not only the free press but on our democracy'. In the affidavit, he states that the CEO and spokesperson acted 'in unison, both equally complicit in attempting to bribe Mr Myburgh, rig tender processes, commit corrupt activities and elicit payment for a favour'. He added that Makgolane, as the IDT spokesperson, had knowledge of the scheme but failed to disclose it, despite an obligation to do so. Hawks asked to step in The minister has formally requested that the case be transferred to the Hawks and treated with urgency. He also asked the police to investigate: Whether other journalists were similarly approached; The coordination of funding of a disinformation campaign to discredit himself, IDT board chairperson Zimbini Hill and his department; The use of fake news articles, fabricated voice notes and call logs, and bot-driven anonymous accounts to spread lies; The role of politically connected individuals and public commentators in amplifying this misinformation; and Any additional acts of corruption linked to attempts to silence the media and obstructive oversight. 'There is clearly a network of individuals in the IDT who guarantee outcomes in exchange for cash,' Macpherson said. Rot exposed The bribery attempt stems from Myburgh's investigation, published in October 2024, into a R836-million PSA oxygen plant tender. A PwC forensics report, released to the department and the Hawks last week (but not yet publicly available), confirmed that the IDT awarded contracts to unlicensed companies and recommended disciplinary action against Malaka for procurement irregularities, missing documentation and a deliberate disregard for the process. 'Under Ms Malaka's leadership, the IDT operated without the most basic governance and risk controls,' Macpherson said. 'The environment of impunity has now spilled beyond tenders into attempts to manipulate the media and obstruct public accountability.' The offer to Myburgh, giving him the option to nominate contractors for IDT tenders, spoke to how 'rotten' the supply chain process was in the IDT from start to finish. The minister noted that even before he assumed office he was aware of the 'serious and long-standing allegations surrounding the IDT'. He described it as 'an entity in crisis, a state institution meant to serve the public but instead consumed by dysfunction'. Fallout at the IDT The IDT board met last night to understand what processes will unfold with regards to the disciplinary case against Malaka. Macpherson detailed the conditions of her suspension, saying: 'There are conditions that were attached to her suspension. One of those was that she may not leave Gauteng without permission of the board and that she may not speak to anyone from the IDT. 'I think it's safe to assume that those two [conditions] may have already been violated by her being here (Cape Town) the day after with an official from the IDT.' The bribery attempt, involving Malaka and Makgolane, took place at a wine farm near Stellenbosch. Makgolane's position is 'peculiar', according to Macpherson, since he is personally contracted to the CEO, which complicates disciplinary action. Meanwhile, the newly appointed IDT board, tasked with cleaning up the embattled entity, has been instructed to audit all contracts issued under Malaka, trace the money flows and pursue anyone complicit in wrongdoing. Lifestyle audits of the executive are also under way, Macpherson said, adding a joke about the potential impact: 'I'm just worried there might not be many executives left by the time they finish.' He also revealed that one or two resignations have already been submitted from the department, 'from people who didn't want to commit to [the process]', implying a direct link between the audits and these departures. E-procurement systems were also being fast-tracked to curb manual interference in IDT tenders. The 'best sanitiser' In the wake of these events, Nicki Gules, head of news at News24 and a member of the South African National Editors' Forum, praised Myburgh's decision to go public on SAfm this morning. '[He] did what he could to protect himself, and he did the best thing. He made this public. The best sanitiser is daylight,' she said in the interview. She called the attempted bribe deeply troubling and not necessarily rare, and urged journalists to record any attempts to influence or bribe them. She also underlined the importance of adhering to the Press Code as the ethical roadmap for journalists: 'We cannot, I mean, certainly cannot take any inducements to stop an investigation of any sort.' Winning the 'war' Macpherson believes this case is not isolated and forms part of a larger scheme involving political networks, pointing to what he called a 'well-paid and well-organised' campaign to shield criminal actors from scrutiny and undermine institutional accountability. 'It is even more shameful that political parties such as ActionSA and the EFF helped to shield those accused of corruption by endorsing these false reports. South Africans should be demanding answers from them on how they benefited from this campaign,' Macpherson said. He specifically called out 'dubious reporting' by The Star newspaper and a discredited TimesLIVE opinion piece earlier this year, which was later retracted, as part of the disinformation offensive against reform efforts at the IDT. This afternoon (Thursday), ActionSA posted on X that it would host a discussion on TikTok LIVE at 7pm today, led by MP Mika Ngobeni, about the minister's 'offensive and racist remarks'. Despite facing what Macpherson describes as 'fierce resistance', he believes the tide is turning. 'We have the upper hand and we are winning the war against them.' He has urged the public not to look away from wrongdoing and to 'speak up and bring that information to us'. He committed to personally shielding journalists, whistle-blowers and honest officials who expose corruption.
IOL News
2 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Minister Macpherson takes a stand against corruption by charging suspended IDT CEO
Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has requested the Independent Development Trust Board to investigate all contracts that were issued under suspended CEO Tebogo Malaka's tenure. Image: Armand Hough / Independent Newspapers Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson on Wednesday said he took personal responsibility to open charges against suspended CEO of Independent Development Trust (IDT) Tebogo Malaka and the trust's spokesperson because he would have missed the public outrage had he not done so. Speaking to the media outside the Cape Town police station, Macpherson also said he had made an undertaking that he would deal with officials involved in criminality. 'I think if I didn't take personal responsibility over this issue, I would be missing how angry South Africans are about this. I have been very clear to the officials of the department that if it comes to light that you are involved in criminality, I will personally take you on,' he said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Macpherson also said responsibility and leadership could not be outsourced to anyone else. 'I have taken the step to be here this afternoon, and to say that when I say something, I mean it. It is a warning to anyone who contemplates criminality that it will not just be a function of the department or the board, but they will come up against me as the executive authority entrusted to lead this department.' Macpherson made the statement after he opened criminal charges against Malaka and IDT's spokesperson Phasha Makgolane after they were captured on video allegedly offering Daily Maverick journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh R60,000 to not investigate and report about the suspended CEO. Macpherson said watching the video of Malaka allegedly offering Myburgh a bribe made him sick and left him in disbelief. 'It's one thing to hear about corruption; it's another thing to see it take place so blatantly and with a feeling of impunity. This stands in complete opposition to everything that I believe in and stand for.' Macpherson also said he took an oath to serve the public, protect the Constitution, and safeguard the country's precious public resources. 'This oath does not allow me to tolerate corruption. It does not allow me to make excuses for wrongdoing, and every action we take, whether releasing forensic reports, suspending officials only, or criminal cases, it is about building a state that is capable, ethical, and trustworthy.' Macpherson said the allegations remained deeply disturbing and that they were not just a criminal act, but an assault on the institutional framework of government to provide services to the people of South Africa, especially in the social infrastructure space that the IDT is responsible for. 'Attempting to bribe a journalist to bury the truth is an attack not only on the free press, but on our democracy. It is an attempt to silence accountability, to undermine public confidence and to shield corruption from exposure.' Macpherson stated that since assuming office, they faced fierce resistance, not just from within the bureaucracy, but through an organised and well-paid for and funded campaign to protect criminal entrenched interests when they began restoring order and integrity at the IDT. 'This network has been aided and abetted by political parties like ActionSA and the EFF, and sadly, members of the media,' he said. 'I have personally been the target and Miss Hill, by the way, of coordinated disinformation campaigns, including fabricated voice notes, false call logs and WhatsApps, which again, and it doesn't surprise me, are circulating again this morning to try and suggest that Miss Malaka is a victim of all of this fake news articles which were published by outlets and even on the front page of some newspapers, and then they had to retract them once the evidence was put on the table.' Macpherson said the narrative that he was paying journalists to attack the IDT was not only false, but it turned out to be a projection of what they were doing. 'They said we are paying journalists, and it turned out that they were then paying journalists.' He was convinced that the attempt to buy cooperation was not an isolated incident and that the criminal charges did not exist in a vacuum. 'They are directly connected to the systematic failures and alleged corruption that we have uncovered in the PwC forensic investigation into the R800 million PSA oxygen plant tender, the findings of which are released to the public last week, that investigation exposed companies who awarded contracts without valid separate licenses, a project that ballooned from R216 million to R592 million and without justification.'
