Cape Town: Former State Security Minister Bongani Bongo has been granted R5 000 bail, following his arrest for alleged corruption. Bongo, 47, made a brief appearance at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, after his arrest earlier that day.
According to South African Government News Agency, Bongo is accused of offering a bribe to Ntuthuzelo Vanara, an evidence leader in Parliament’s Eskom inquiry, in 2017. He is charged with contravening the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act 12 of 2004 (‘PRECCA’). Bongo is being re-tried after being acquitted by former Western Cape Judge President, John Hlophe, in 2021. However, an appeal by Supreme Court of Appeal Judge John Smith led to the retrial being ordered.
National Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya, stated that during September to October 2017, Bongo allegedly attempted to prevent a parliamentary sitting where the Eskom board was to be held accountable. It is reported that Bongo approached a member of the Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises to arrange a meeting to halt the proceedings, suggesting that the committee sitting could be stopped if a price was named.
Bongo, a former member of the National Assembly and a Cabinet Minister, held the position of Minister of State Security until 28 May 2024. Members of Parliament are obligated to adhere to the Code of Ethics and all related constitutional duties, including those outlined in the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act and PRECCA.
Lebeya affirmed that the Directorate remains committed to fulfilling its mandate impartially. He praised the investigation team and urged the prosecution to ensure justice is served for the South African public. Bongo is set to reappear in court on 4 March 2025.