JP HITS BACK

JP Smith has filed an urgent application in the Western Cape High Court against the South African Police Service (SAPS) and a magistrate. 

The City sheriff is accusing them of procedural dishonesty, bad faith, and reputational harm following the high-profile raid on his office earlier this year, with SAPS saying they were investigating Smith’s alleged links to suspects arrested in connection with the alleged Construction Mafia case.

These include former Housing Mayco Member Malusi Booi and alleged 28s gang boss Ralph Stanfield and his wife Nicole Johnson.

The Mayco Member for Safety and Security said he approached the court on 17 April, alleging that the search and seizure warrants used during the 24 January 2025 raid were “unlawfully obtained,” and based on “falsehoods, errors, and critical omissions.”

Smith, however, maintains he is not a suspect and says he has consistently worked to expose the very individuals who are now facing charges.

In a statement shared on Facebook, Smith says: “The allegations against me are false and there is abundant evidence in the public domain of my continued actions to do the exact opposite of which I am accused. 

“This includes taking action to remove compromised and corrupt individuals from the City, and supporting investigations to undermine criminal networks.”

Smith said he had initially opted not to challenge the legality of the warrants, choosing instead to cooperate fully with SAPS in good faith.

This included unlocking all seized devices and offering to meet investigators. However, after 14 weeks without any returned items or meaningful communication, he said the situation had become untenable.

Smith’s court application includes several key allegations: 

-That SAPS failed to inform the magistrate that a previous warrant application for his home had been denied.

-The investigating officer misrepresented Smith’s role, omitting that he had alerted authorities to the suspects now under arrest. 

-That officers knowingly failed to clarify that the “JP” initials in the so-called “black books” referred to someone already charged, not him.

-And that the warrant was overbroad and resulted in the seizure of devices belonging to City staff not named in the affidavits.

He said, despite commitments, SAPS had not returned imaged devices after more than three months, affecting service delivery and internal operations.

He further alleged that SAPS ignored his repeated offers to assist and instead pursued warrants based on “fabricated or misleading” information.

He also claimed SAPS was particularly focused on obtaining audio recordings he had received, in which alleged conspirators could be heard plotting to destroy his reputation. According to Smith, the voices in the recordings may include SAPS members based in the Western Cape.

SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa responded: “The SAPS in the Western Cape is aware that an application was brought before the Western Cape High Court in relation to the matter cited in your media enquiry.

"It is handled by the SAPS legal services. As a precaution and out of respect for the legal processes that are unfolding, the South African Police Service deems it inappropriate to run commentary on the matter at this stage.”

The court is yet to set a date for the hearing of Smith’s urgent application.