The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have opened a corruption case against Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson.
Macpherson is accused of interfering in the Independent Development Trust tender processes.
The party filed the case at the Pretoria Central Police Station, saying they have substantial evidence against the Minister.
They are accusing McPherson of demanding that a company they name in their statement be paid.
Party Secretary-General Marshall Dlamini speaking to the media says the party is in possession of a damning email from the minister demanding payment from a contractor.
He says, “We’ve got an email from a minister demanding a payment for a specific contractor called Land Reconstruction. Remember, the minister, according to the executive members’ ethics, he’s got no role in the financial or operational matters of IDT (Independent Development Trust).”
“To demonstrate that his interest in running that department is only for the corrupt activities, you know that the Department of Public Works has got different entities, it’s got CIDB (Construction Industry Development Board), it’s got CBE )Council for the Built Environment), and then only IDT that focuses on assisting various departments with social infrastructure. So that’s where you find tenders, ” Dlamini adds.
♦️Happening Now♦️
The EFF Secretary General @DlaminiMarshall addressing members of the media outside the Pretoria Central SAPS.
We have submitted enough evidence to the Police and they won’t have to do much investigating. The email will be shared shortly. pic.twitter.com/di2mQW4itY
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) January 22, 2025
Speaking on behalf of the Democratic Alliance, party spokesperson Willie Aucamp says there is no merit to the case insisting that it is simply a publicity stance by the EFF to gain more traction.
“There is absolutely no thread of truth to that. What happened here is that we’ve got a minister that’s doing his job and that exposed corruption to the amount of in excess of R800 million.
“This is a contract that was awarded for the supply of oxygen. And the minister picked up on that, that this tender was totally irregular. He started an investigation. This contract was awarded by the Independent Development Trust; and the minister didn’t want the IDT to do the investigation itself because you can’t investigate yourself. There are a lot of people who are afraid of what might come out of this investigation,” Aucamp explains.
DA National Spokesperson Willie Aucamp:
Aucamp was referring to an investigation Minister Macpherson had launched into the Independent Development Trust on a suspicious tender, late last year.
The minister has yet to address the criminal case laid against him.
Related video | Macpherson launches an independent investigation into the IDT:
