Malatsi finally starts prison sentence

2012-11-19 17:23

(File, AP)

Johannesburg - Former politician David Malatsi handed himself over to the Witbank Prison in eMalahleni on Monday, a correctional services official said.

"Mr Malatsi handed himself over at 08:30 on Monday morning," spokesperson Koos Gerber said.

"We admitted him and he started serving his sentence this morning."

Gerber could not immediately explain why Malatsi failed to hand himself over on Friday at the Goodwood Prison as he was supposed to do.

Malatsi is serving a five-year jail term for corruption after an appeal was dismissed by the Western Cape High Court on Tuesday.

Judge Patrick Gamble took less than a minute to read out his judgment. The "appeal is dismissed and the conviction is confirmed", he said at the time.

The former provincial environment affairs MEC and national deputy social development minister was not present in court when judgment was handed down.

In October 2006, Malatsi was found guilty of corruption by the Cape Town Regional Court for accepting a R100 000 payment from the developer of the Roodefontein Golf and Country Estate to approve the development, despite environmental concerns.

The money was given to him - in April 2002 - by Count Riccardo Augusto, the owner and developer of the R550m Plettenberg Bay project.

He was sentenced in December 2006 to five years in jail, and, at the same time, was granted leave to appeal.

He was granted bail pending the outcome of the appeal.

- SAPA