Corruption Net Closes In On KZN Big Boys

How tens of millions of rands were siphoned off under the guise of bringing the North Sea Jazz Festival to Durban.

- Jonathan Erasmus

THE HOT WINDS THAT SIGNAL political climate change may, it seems, finally be blowing through the foothills of Kwa-Zulu-Natal.

But before we tell you the exciting news, a recap from nose154 of August 2012: “As, increasingly over time, shady businessmen and other criminal elements in pursuit of government contracts, favours and protection have corrupted South Africa’s politicians and infiltrated its political structures, so the politicians in power and friends in crime have made common cause in undermining the country’s law enforcement agencies.

“The word is out: to survive in the police or prosecution services you must be either very brave – or bent.

“But there is another element to the story: as faction feuds and power struggles occur in the political establishment or major areas of the economy dominated by criminals (such as Eskom), the same feuds and power struggles now invariably ripple through the law-enforcement services, where each faction has its friends.”

Noseweek related several examples in that issue – all worth re-reading today – but one is particularly relevant here: “Also in July 2012, KwaZulu-Natal's acting prosecutions head, Simphiwe Mlotshwa, was removed from his post – supposedly in line with government policy which does not allow for someone to hold a senior post in an “acting” position for more than 12 months. (He had already been there for 18 months, without comment or complaint from anyone.)

“It is widely accepted, however, that Mlotshwa was removed from the post because of his determination to prosecute KZN Premier Zweli Mkhize for his  role in the “Three Amigos” fraud case – the Three Amigos being Economic Development MEC Mike Mabuyakhulu, former Health MEC Peggy Nkonyeni (who subsequently became Speaker in the KZN legislature) and South American businessman Gaston Savoi.