The corruption case of suspended African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General Ace Magashule has been postponed to October the 19th in the High Court in Bloemfontein.
Earlier, a legal tug of war ensued between the State and the defence over the status of a key witness in the multi-million-rand asbestos corruption case.
Magashule’s lawyer, Advocate Laurance Hodes, dismissed a claim that Moroadi Cholota had turned the State witness. Cholota was Magashule’s personal assistant when he was the Free State premier. Hodes contended that Cholota had not yet signed a sworn statement for the State implicating Magashule.
However, State advocate, Johan de Nysschen, argued that it was wrong for the defence to assume that the case was based on the evidence presented at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture at which Cholota also testified in 2019. De Nysschen said a trial within a trial could be held to determine whether Cholota could be declared a State, defence or a court witness. Magashule, nine others and five companies face more than 70 charges of corruption and money laundering, relating to the awarding of a tender related to the removal of asbestos roofing.
WATCH: Suspended ANC Secretary General Ace Magashule addresses the media just outside of the Bloemfontein High Court. #SABCNews pic.twitter.com/gb2RcbT4Aa
— Abongile Dumako (@AbongileDumako) August 11, 2021
There are fewer members of the ANC compared to those witnessed in the past in Bloemfontein to show support for Magashule. Spokesperson of the disbanded Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans’ Association Carl Niehaus says it is because they didn’t mobilise for Magashule’s support on Wednesday due to COVID-19 lockdown regulations.
Some suspended ANC secretary general Ace Magashule supporters singing outside BFN high court. #sabcnews#sabcfs pic.twitter.com/ZmFOYzXIMV
— Aphumelele Mdlalane (@AphumeleleMdla2) August 11, 2021
WATCH: He continues to express his concerns about today’s court appearance in Bloemfontein. #SABCNews pic.twitter.com/1Yb9MxGekV
— Abongile Dumako (@AbongileDumako) August 11, 2021
Niehaus says the narrative that Magashule and former president Jacob Zuma are fast losing support is false.
Carl Niehaus on Magashule’s court appearance on Wednesday:
Magashule is facing charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering related to the alleged irregular awarding of a tender for removing asbestos roofing from houses in the Free State when he was still premier. Niehaus says as members of the ANC, they’ll always be behind Magashule.
“No one must try and push the narrative that because of the less than the usual large numbers of supporters that will be here today, that the support of comrade Ace Magashule and also the support of President Jacob Zuma has wanded off, it has not. There’s a deep and fundamental outrage in our nation against the injustices that are being committed against these comrades.”
