Corruption, bribery and intimidation charges have been laid against Deputy Social Development Minister David Malatsi, former Western Cape premier Peter Marais and Italian businessman Ricardo Agusta relating to the Roodefontein golf estate development scandal.
Democratic Alliance (DA) Western Cape MPL and environment representative Robin Carlise laid the charge at the Cape Town police station on Wednesday afternoon. Carlisle said he had asked the police to open a docket based on alleged corruption, bribery and intimidation.
Police will first have to investigate the allegations and hand over the docket to the provincial director of public prosecutions, who in turn will decide whether there is sufficient evidence to formally charge the three men with a crime.
In an affidavit, Carlisle said it had come to his attention in May last year that the relationship between the developers of the proposed Roodefontein Golf and Country Estate on the one hand, and Marais and Malatsi on the other, ”gave rise to concerns of irregularity”.
Carlisle said Malatsi and Marais had met Agusta on April 5 and April 17 with regard to the application to develop Roodefontein.
The affidavit includes the letter written by provincial environment official Ingrid Coetzee to her head of department, dated April 19, in which she said Marais had instructed her to give the go-ahead for the development.
”This letter further indicates that should she not comply with the instruction, her delegation as the competent authority would be withdrawn and that Minister Malatsi would issue the Record of Decision personally.
”As stated in the letter, this decision would have the effect that the requirements of the EIA (environmental impact assessment) regulations; the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act, the National Environmental Management Act and the Constitution would not have been fully complied with,” the affidavit says.
The April 17 meeting was confirmed by a letter dated 18 April 2002 from the agent of the developer to Malatsi. A R300 000 donation was duly deposited by Agusta into NNP coffers.
Carlisle also used Western Cape premier Marthinus van Schalkwyk’s statement announcing that Malatsi had been asked to step down in support of his affidavit.
Van Schalkwyk has asked the public protector to investigate alleged wrongdoing and has also suspended Marais and Malatsi from party activity. He has also instructed the R300 000 be returned.
Meanwhile, an ANC provincial representative reportedly said his party had pushed the NNP into acting against Malatsi, after the ANC uncovered allegations of corruption against the deputy cabinet minister.
”We’ve known about the allegations for some time and in fact told the NNP to take steps to prevent another drawn-out scandal that would destabilise the province,” ANC Western Cape representative Gert Witbooi told the SABC.
”However, the final decision about what action to take was the responsibility of the NNP. We were only informed,” he reportedly said.
The ANC and NNP are coalition government partners in the Western Cape. – Sapa