Hawks peck away at perfidy

[SAP]( [Mail & Guardian Newsletter logo](#) [mg.co.za]( [The Ampersand Daily Newsletter from the M&G team](#) [Divider Strip] October 28 2020 | [View in browser]( [Divider Strip] [Facebook icon]( [Twitter icon]( [Instagram icon]( [LinkedIn icon]( Hi there, How does a former state security minister end up in the dock facing charges of corruption and theft? Hours after he chaired a virtual meeting of Parliament's portfolio committee on home affairs, news broke that a warrant of arrest had been issued for Bongani Bongo, related to his work as a Mpumalanga government official eight years ago. Bongo, who was charged with bribery in a separate case in 2019, is still serving as an MP and committee chair. It doesn't make sense that people that are linked to or involved in possible acts of criminality manage to hold such important positions. Bongo was promoted by former president Jacob Zuma as an unknown and appointed to the key ministry of state security in 2018 when he was already being investigated for allegations of wrongdoing in the human settlements department. Tshegofatso Mathe reports that Bongo is facing a wide range of charges including [fraud, corruption and theft](. The ANC MP and 10 others appeared at the Nelspruit regional magistrate's court in Mpumalanga. How did Bongo manage to track his muddy feet into a ministerial office if he were known to be tainted? That's a mystery for another time. Having been burnt by "Hollywood-style arrests" news that didn't quite pan out in the case of another high-ranking ANC member, we are trying not to get too excited. In February 2012, a complaint was made about the Msukaligwa municipality which had bought three farms at vastly inflated prices, sometimes for as much as double the price. The arrested suspects allegedly colluded and created an intricate paper trail to justify the deals, resulting in the Mpumalanga human settlements department suffering a total loss of just under R124-million. Meanwhile, in KwaZuluNatal, Sipho Nzuza believes that the National Prosecuting Authority ["erred" when setting his bail conditions](. Des Erasmus reports that eThekwini's criminally charged city manager further rebuked his critics in the metro for passing judgment on his ability to carry out his duties. Nzuza is the co-accused of one of the Ampersand's favourites: Zandile Gumede -- the city's former mayor allegedly involved in the mismanagement of a R430-million Durban Solid Waste tender. "I know that the executive committee is trying to assist me with my bail conditions, but I just want to bring something to the attention of the committee," Nzuza said in his warning. "We must not confuse the issues of my bail conditions, which expose me to the danger of being prosecuted [if breached], with the issues that [could] be crippling me in the work that I am doing." Keeping our newsroom going strong is a big ask and some might say now is the wrong time to ask you to help us to do so. We are not perfect but, throughout the years, what has remained constant is our journalism. Help us to keep bringing you these stories and more by subscribing to our work. Until tomorrow, Kiri Rupiah & Luke Feltham [Divider Strip] [Cancer]( [Divider Strip] [Gems]( [Divider Strip] [Facebook icon]( [Twitter icon]( [Instagram icon]( [LinkedIn icon]( You are receiving this email on {EMAIL} because 1.) You're a member of "Mail & Guardian" or 2.) previously subscribed [M&G logo] 25 Owl St, Braamfontein Werf, Johannesburg, 2092 Want to be removed? No problem! [UNSUBSCRIBE]( Email support: help@media-connect.co.za - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -