Long Weekend in Jail for Emalahleni MMC Members Arrested Over Bribe Scandal

• Two Members of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) will spend the long weekend behind bars after being arrested
• The two suspects, aged 54 and 55, were arrested after they were caught accepting a R20 000 gratification
• The Emalahleni Local Municipality Members of the Mayoral Committee are facing charges of extortion and corruption

It will be a very long weekend for two Emalahleni Local Municipality Members of the Mayoral Committee after the court ruled they will spend the long weekend in jail. The two MMCs, Cllrs Jerry Djiana and Busi Hlumbane, were arrested by the Hawks after a sting operation on 16 April 2025.

MMCS arrested after accepting bribe

The two officials, believed to be members of the ANC, were arrested at the Witbank dam after being suspected of having received R20 000 in gratification for extending the lease of a crematorium in eMalahleni.

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Djiana and Hlumbane are facing three counts of extortion and three counts of corruption, with Djiana also facing an additional case of defeating the ends of justice. Djiana serves as the MMC for Development Planning, while Hlumbane serves as the MMC for Technical Services.

It is believed that the R20,000 forms part of a larger R500,000 bribe allegedly solicited from the victim in return for help securing a lease extension. This payment is said to be the second instalment, following a R40,000 sum handed over in February 2025.

What happened in court?

The case was postponed until 22 April by Magistrate Matome Seima. The Magistrate said that a ruling will be made that aligns with the justice system after hearing a presentation from the state and the defence.

Mr Nkosikhona Mthetwa, representing the state, requested that the accused be barred from entering the municipal building while investigations are ongoing. In response, the defence attorney, Mr Thembinkosi Raymond Sithole, argued that the MMCs are elected office bearers serving fixed terms.

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The ANC weighed in on the arrests

According to the Citizen, Sello Matshoga of the ANC’s Nkangala region described the case as serious, saying it undermines the party’s integrity. He stated that the matter would be escalated to the party’s disciplinary committee for further action.

ANC provincial spokesperson Sasekani Manzini condemned the allegations, saying they strike at the heart of the values the party is trying to promote. The spokesperson stressed that the ANC views the claims against the two members as a grave concern, as they contradict the principles of ethical leadership and accountability that the party is working to embed within its ranks and the wider community.

What you need to know about corruption in the ANC

• The ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) is expected to deliberate on a recent report assessing the party’s condition. The report highlights widespread corruption as a key factor damaging the ANC’s standing and eroding public trust among its voter base.
• Former ANC National Executive Committee member Pule Mabe appeared in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Ekurhuleni, where his corruption case was postponed. Mabe and his co-accused face charges related to corruption.
• Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula handed herself over to the Lyttleton Police Station in Centurion on the morning of 4 April. Her appearance followed her resignation as Speaker of Parliament a day earlier, a decision she said was to allow her to focus on the corruption charges she is facing.
• Minister of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Zizi Kodwa, was reportedly arrested ahead of his scheduled court appearance. He faces corruption allegations related to an alleged bribe of more than R1.5 million.
• Danny Jordaan, president of the South African Football Association (SAFA), is scheduled to appear before the Johannesburg High Court on 13 November 2024. He faces allegations of misappropriating R1.3 million in SAFA funds and is charged with fraud, theft, and using the funds for personal gain.

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Emalahleni Municipality MMCs arrested after accepting R20,000 bribe, South Africans annoyed

Ace Magashule ready to take the stand in R225 million tender scandal

Former Free State Premier and ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule has addressed his upcoming trial, where he and 16 other suspects face corruption charges over a R255 million tender awarded to businessman Edwin Sodi in 2014.

Magashule expressed his readiness to testify and speak the truth, but his statement sparked a wave of mockery from South Africans online.

Source: Briefly News