Latest news with #Sodi
IOL News
15-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
NPA secures R32m preservation order in ongoing asbestos case
Free State high court grants Multi-Million Rand asset preservation order in Magashule asbestos case. Image: NPA and Oupa Mokoena The Free State High Court has granted the NPA a R32 million preservation order against Ace Magashule and others linked to the asbestos corruption and money laundering scheme. Included in the court order is a luxury Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG, allegedly purchased in cash for R2 million - a symbol of the lavish lifestyle funded by illicit gains. According to the NPA, the seized assets are believed to be the proceeds of a web of criminal activities, including theft, fraud, corruption, and money laundering, orchestrated at the expense of the Free State Department of Human Settlements (FSDHS). 'The involved individuals, companies, and trusts are alleged to have engaged in a complex web of financial flows, designed to strip the FSDHS of its much-needed resources," said NPA national spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga. 'They were allegedly able to move the proceeds of crime through attorneys, real estate agencies, and high-end motor dealers.' The Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) has shown through financial flows that these properties were purchased with monies siphoned from the FSDHS, the statement read. "This preservation order follows a Restraint Order of R300 million granted to the unit by the High Court in September 2020. This was in respect of the same asbestos corruption and money laundering scheme. "The order will effectively put a freeze on and thwart any efforts to dissipate the very assets sought to be preserved." The NPA said this will provide for the subsequent forfeiture of these proceeds of crime to the state. Meanwhile, the NPA confirmed that various persons and entities are also criminally charged with multiple charges of fraud, theft, money laundering, corruption, contraventions of the PFMA, and contraventions of various sections of the Asbestos Regulations. Last month, businessman Edwin Sodi pleaded not guilty to charges of money laundering, fraud, and corruption in connection with the controversial R255 million Free State asbestos removal tender. Sodi, alongside former Free State Premier Magashule, are accused of orchestrating a scheme that diverted public funds intended for the removal of hazardous asbestos from homes in the province's poorest communities. The case, which has drawn significant national attention, involves 18 accused individuals and five companies. The R255 million contract was awarded in 2014 to a joint venture between Sodi's Blackhead Consulting and Diamond Hill Trading, owned by the late businessman Igo Mpambani. The State alleges that the contract was irregularly awarded, with kickbacks provided to some of the accused. Instead of effectively removing asbestos from about 30 000 homes, only R21 million worth of work was reportedly completed, with the remainder of the funds allegedly misappropriated. Both Magashule and Sodi have previously attempted to have the charges against them dismissed. In May 2023, the Supreme Court of Appeals dismissed their applications, stating that they had "no reasonable prospects of success" and that there was no compelling reason to hear their appeals. Cape Times
Russia Today
22-03-2025
- Russia Today
South Africa's ‘femicide' emergency deepens
Inadequate resources and the poor implementation of laws that are supposed to protect women are hampering the efforts against the scourge of femicide and intimate partner violence (IPV). IPV has been thrust into focus again this week as the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) announced that the attempted murder case against Edwin Sodi has been struck from the Randburg Magistrate's Court's roll. This also comes days after Cape Town convicted murderer, Wayne Lawrence, was sentenced to a cumulative 71 years behind bars for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Angela, and the attempted murder of their daughter, who was shot in the foot during a domestic dispute. Lawrence was a licensed firearm holder who, at the time of the incident, owned two firearms. Controversial businessman Sodi faced attempted murder and assault charges but these were withdrawn by his estranged wife, Nthateng Lerata. It was alleged that during a life-threatening confrontation, Sodi attempted to shoot Lerata, but his gun jammed. READ MORE: Women could 'turbocharge' global economy – World Bank GBV victim withdraws charges against gun-wielding perpetrator NPA spokesperson, Phindi Mjonondwane, said they rejected Lerata's withdrawal statement due to the widespread scourge of gender-based violence (GBV). However, due to them both not being present at court on the day, the matter was struck from the roll. University of Cape Town (UCT) chief specialist scientist at the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Professor Naeemah Abrahams, said data reflected that since 2009, three women have been killed by an intimate partner, per day. READ MORE: Forgotten heroes: How African soldiers fought in World War II 'This is a very sad indication of the failure of our Firearms Control Act and our Domestic Violence Act that very clearly specify that an abuser should not be issued a licence and that guns should be removed. Gun-related femicide has increased in the last few years. This is due to the poor implementation of laws that are supposed to protect women. 'Our national study shows more than 1/3 of women are killed with a gun... we know that IPV and femicide are preventable and we have evidence on what works. But it needs adequate resources,' said Abrahams. According to a recent research brief on femicide in South Africa by the SAMRC, the data showed findings of the 4th national femicide study, which coincided with the first year of Covid-19. Femicide conviction rates decreased during global pandemic 'In terms of convictions of femicide cases, the brief found that convictions decreased with the lowest levels reported during 2020/21. Less than one in five of the intimate partner femicide cases ended with a conviction. If we consider the increased number of cases with unidentified perpetrators, it is evident that the chances of a murdered woman receiving justice in 2020/21 significantly decreased. 'We found a mixed picture in the police and criminal justice system's response to femicide with improvement in the number of cases located in the police information system in 2020/21 compared to 2017. However, in 2020/21, in 44.5% of cases, a perpetrator was not identified... This points to substantially poorer performance than in 2017 when the proportion (30%) was already very high. This points to a lack of efforts to investigate such murders,' the brief noted. READ MORE: The Covid-19 lockdown in South Africa will fuel an upsurge in crime in a country that's already one of the world's most lawless SAMRC said: 'The unabated increase in firearm-related femicide over the 10 years since 2009 is an indication that firearm control has been lost in the country and reflects the deterioration in policing and lack of response to the calls for effective implementation of the Firearms Control Act. Our research over two decades shows an appalling decline in police investigations with the non-identification of perpetrators from 1999 to 2020/21 more than doubled (from 19% to 44%). 'This remains a huge concern and improved police responses are needed to ensure justice for all who are murdered. These are key objectives of the Integrated National Femicide Prevention Strategy which was developed in 2022 and is still awaiting approval by Cabinet.' In May 2023, Sodi made headlines after 15 people lost their lives and over 50 were hospitalised following a cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal, Pretoria. Sodi's company was awarded a R295 million tender to handle the long-standing water crisis in the area, however, the project was left incomplete. First published by IOL
