Postponements ‘deliberation ploy’ to prevent me from contesting in December, Magashule tells court
Suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule and his co-accused appeared in the High Court in Bloemfontein for a pre-trial hearing on Friday morning.
Magashule is facing 21 charges related to the R255 million asbestos tender issued in 2014 while he was Free State premier.
The case against the politician was postponed in February while the National Prosecuting Authority finalises the extradition of Magashule's former personal assistant Moroadi Cholota from the United States.
But shortly after the start of court proceedings on Friday, Magashule stood up and asked to address the judge.
He told her that the case has been postponed since last year.
"Out in the public eye we are these corrupt people who do not want to respect the law. We were promised by the presiding authority that we were supposed to have been done with the case last year. It has been postponed and postponed, and even when we get out now you will hear the National Prosecuting Authority saying that it us delaying the case. In the eyes of South Africans and as law abiding citizens, we are actually corrupt.
“It is a deliberate move to prevent me from standing as a leader of the African National Congress because in December we have a conference, and we know it has been a plan hatched. It’s not by the court, but a deliberate plan because organs of state do not treat us the same,” he added.
Magashule is set to be back in court on September 23.
ALSO READ
