Roodefontein trial in August

2003-07-07 13:47

Cape Town - The trial of New Labour Party leader Peter Marais and former deputy social development minister David Malatsi on corruption charges will start in Cape Town regional court next month.

The pair are accused of receiving R400 000 in kickbacks from the developers of the Roodefontein golf estate at Plettenberg Bay.

They appeared before magistrate Aziz Hamied in Cape Town magistrate's court on Monday.

Malatsi and Marais, a former premier of the Western Cape and ex-New National Party leader in the Western Cape, had their bail of R10 000 each extended.

Malatsi, who quit the deputy national minister's post in January this year after the Roodefontein furore became public, was previously Western Cape MEC for development planning.

The magistrate warned them to appear before regional court magistrate Arno Laubscher on August 15.

When they appear in Cape Town regional court they will plead to the charge but their trial might not actually commence on that date.

Their court appearance on Monday was Marais's fifth since his arrest on February 19. Malatsi was arrested two days later and his court appearance on Monday was his fourth.

Both men have declared their innocence.

- SAPA