Intaka corruption charges may be dropped

2012-04-19 12:39

Durban - Charges of corruption against high profile KwaZulu-Natal ANC politicians implicated in the awarding of multi-million rand tenders to Intaka may be dropped, the Mercury reported on Thursday.

Independent sources told the paper the head of National Prosecuting Authority's commercial crime unit Richard Mrwebi was reviewing the decision to prosecute KwaZulu-Natal legislature speaker Peggy Nkonyeni and economic development MEC Mike Mabuyakhulu.

Nkonyeni, Mabuyakhulu, former Ithala development finance corporation CEO Sipho Shabalala, and Uruguayan businessman Gaston Savoi have been charged with racketeering and corruption.

The charges against them relate to the awarding of multi-million rand tenders to Savoi's company, Intaka, to supply water purification plants and oxygen generating units to provincial hospitals.

The Mercury reported that Mrwebi recently called in a meeting to discuss the trial and was expected to make a decision on prosecuting Mabuyakhulu and Nkonyeni.

"Advocate Mrwebi has not made any decision about this matter because it falls under the director of public prosecutions in KwaZulu-Natal. We are not at liberty to discuss matters pending before court as the matter has been set down for trial," NPA spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

Mrwebi was recently appointed by President Jacob Zuma.

In January Judge Ron McLaren set the trial date for October 1 to December 14.

- SAPA