Former Mayco Member Malusi Booi allegedly received R2.5 million in cold hard cash and larney Rolex watches from Ralph Stanfield in exchange for government tenders worth a whopping R850m.
This was revealed as Booi and nine others made a bail application at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday after being busted by cops for alleged tender fraud on Monday.
Booi who was removed from his position as Mayco member for the Human Settlements Department is accused of colluding with alleged 28s gang boss Stanfield and his wife Nicole Johnson to get tenders.
Booi has been charged with being a member of the “Ralph Stanfield and Nicole Johnson Enterprise”, as well as with racketeering under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (Poca).
He appeared alongside Suraya Manual, Abdul Kader Davids, Mohammed Amod, his ex-girlfriend Lorna Ndoda, his ex-wife Nomvuyo Mnyaka, as well as Brenda and Randall Mullins and Siphokazi September.
During court proceedings, attendees laughed when it was noted that Booi’s ex-wife and ex-goose were seated next to each other in the dock.
Booi's legal team also lost an application to prevent him from being photographed by the media in court.
State prosecutor Advocate Nathan Adriaanse revealed that they had a strong case against the group, saying bank statements would prove the collusion.
He told the court that 47-year-old Booi allegedly received R2.5m in cash for his role in the enterprise from the Stanfields, coupled with various gifts, including expensive Rolex watches worth R2m.
His ex-wife Mnyaka allegedly received a Rolex watch worth R690 000 from the Stanfields and R20 000 cash.
Adriaanse also revealed that Abdul Kader Davids, who was exposed earlier this year for tender collusion, was named the director of a construction company that was allegedly hijacked by Manual with the aid of the Stanfields.
The company, which may not be named, was at the centre of an investigation by City Manager Lungelo Mbandazayo.
Suraya Manual who worked for Nicole’s company Glomixx CC was arrested earlier this year alongside Ralph's younger brother, Kyle, for allegedly defeating the ends of justice by trying to destroy company documents. She was later released on R10 000 bail.
It was also noted that Nicole, Davids and Mohammed Amod, the director of a Gauteng based company, were caught out when a handwriting expert revealed that all three rival bidders had their tender applications completed by the same person.
Adriaanse told the court that the investigation into 11 tenders revealed that a whopping R850m was awarded to dodgy companies, allegedly aided by Booi.
As bail amounts were proposed gasps were heard when it was revealed that couple Randall and Brenda Mullins had R20m in a bank account.
The State has also charged former Director of Public Housing, Sipokazi September, for corruption just months after she was axed by the municipality.
September, who has denied being part of the construction mafia, landed in hot water when cops obtained a warrant to seize all her electronic equipment on the same day Booi's offices at the Civic Centre were raided.
The State has not opposed bail, and asked for the amount to be set at R200 000 per person.
The case was postponed to Friday where Stanfield and Johnson are expected to be added to the charge sheet.