A summons for R80 000 in respect of outstanding legal fees has added to the woes of former Western Cape Environmental Affairs and Tourism MEC David Mickey Malatsi, who is on trial in the Bellville Regional Court on corruption, theft and fraud charges.
He lamented the fact in court on Monday, when his trial resumed before magistrate Andre le Grange.
Although the summons was for R80 000, he told the court he in fact owed R238 000 in legal fees.
Malatsi was left without privately funded legal representation because he ran out of money, and his application for representation through the State Attorney’s office (not to be confused with legal aid), was turned down.
He now awaits the outcome of an appeal to the Minister of Justice.
On Monday he said he was without a lawyer, but added that he did not wish to delay the case. He told the court he preferred to ”get on with it”, with or without a lawyer.
With him in the dock is former Western Cape premier Peter Marais.
Both have pleaded not guilty to two counts of corruption, relating to donations amounting to R400 000 which they received on behalf of the New National Party from Italian Count Riccardo Augusta in April 2002.
It is alleged the donations were meant to ”lubricate” Augusta’s application to rezone farm land for the Roodefontein Estate development near Plettenberg Bay.
In addition to the corruption charges, Malatsi has pleaded not guilty to one fraud and three theft charges.
The fraud charge, which has nothing to do with the Roodefontein controversy, relates to a false expenses claim for R18 000 in respect of expensive hotel accommodation for himself and his driver, when, it is alleged, they in fact stayed free at a private residence during a visit to Bronkhorstspruit in Gauteng.
The theft charges relate to sums totalling R37 375 that he illegally drew from an New National Party bank account which was under his control.
At Monday’s proceedings, the court heard the testimony of a former Western Cape provincial director at the environmental affairs department, Ingrid Coetzee, who now has a similar post in the North West province.
Malatsi had delegated her to approve or reject applications for rezoning.
Coetzee said she had defied Malatsi’s demand that she approve Augusta’s application without delay.
She told the court the manner in which the application had been lodged did not comply with legal requirements. She explained at length the complex processing of applications for the rezoning of farm land in rural areas.
The hearing continues on Tuesday. – Sapa