Mbalula lashes AfriForum charges as ‘redundant’
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has lashed out at the criminal charges laid against him by lobby group AfriForum.
The charges, which were laid on Pretoria on Tuesday, include money laundering and corruption.
It relates to a family holiday to Dubai in 2016 during Mbalula’s time as sports minister.
Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane previously found Mbalula to have violated the constitution and the executive ethics code as the trip was paid for by Sedgars Sports.
But Mbalula maintains the charges are groundless and unfounded.
“I take strong exception to the accusation by AfriForum that the public protector found that I had laundered money – there was no such a finding. The referral to NDPP was for completeness of the exercise she was undertaking,” the minister said in a statement.
“This matter revolved around a genuine short term loan I got and repaid in full. The public protector ruled that I shouldn't have done so due to perceptions of conflict.”
The trip cost some R680 000.