Malatsi still expected at prison
2012-11-16 18:35
Johannesburg - Former politician David Malatsi had still not handed himself over to Goodwood Prison in Cape Town by Friday afternoon, correctional services said.
By late afternoon he had still not arrived, Western Cape correctional services spokesperson Simphiwe Xako said.
"We are still waiting... We have been here since 08:30 this morning. We don't know his whereabouts..."
Malatsi was expected to begin 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.
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
