Former acting Director of Public Prosecutions in KZN Advocate Cyril Mlotshwa, on Thursday, testified at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture in Parktown, Johannesburg, relating to his removal from office.

Mlotshwa was allegedly removed from his post after he refused to bow to pressure to drop the charges against KwaZulu Natal African National Congress (ANC) senior politicians Mike Mabuyakhulu and Peggy Nkonyeni – both seen as allies of former president, Jacob Zuma.

Mabuyakhulu and Nkonyeni were among the 23 people charged with corruption and racketeering in relation to a R144 million contract to supply water purification and oxygen plants to the Departments of Health and Local Government.

The contract was by Intaka Holdings, a company owned by billionaire businessman, Gaston Savoi.

Below is how the conversation between Zondo and Mlotshwa went:

Zondo: “You were being asked to sign an indictment and there was no such prosecutor’s memo…”

Mlotshwa: “That was the position…”

Zondo: “And you had difficulty with that…”

Mlotshwsa: “I had difficulty with that, to such an extent that the way I was viewing the difficulty I refused to sign the indictment until I was recalled…”

Zondo: “So, by the time you were recalled or asked to step down as acting DPP – that issue had not been resolved is that correct…”

Mlotshwa: “That is correct.”

Budget allocated to investigate State Capture evidence

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni allocated an additional R2.4 billion of government’s budget to the Police and Defence to the National Prosecuting Agency.

The money will be used among others things to investigate cases emanating from evidence presented at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture.

Mboweni says the additional money allocated to the NPA would be used to appoint more than a thousand prosecutors and investigators.

He says, “The NPA, Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and Directorate of Priority Crime Investigation get an additional R2.4 billion in this budget. This will enable the appointment of approximately 800 investigators and 277 prosecutors who will assist with, among other things, clearing the backlog of cases such as those emanating from the Zondo commission.”

Stream of Commission of Inquiry into State Capture Inquiry