By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Malaka Family Trust has dismissed bribery allegations against suspended Independent Development Trust (IDT) CEO Tebogo Malaka, saying it is politically motivated.
This comes after footage emerged showing Malaka and the entity spokesperson Phasha Makgolane trying to bribe investigative journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh with R60 000 to suppress a corruption exposé.
The bribery attempt, involving Malaka and Makgolane, took place at a wine farm near Stellenbosch.
A PwC forensics report, released to the department and the Hawks last week (but not yet publicly available), confirmed that the IDT awarded contracts to unlicensed companies and recommended disciplinary action against Malaka for procurement irregularities, missing documentation and a deliberate disregard for the process.
In a statement, the Trust expressed full support for Malaka, asserting that “these attacks are not grounded in truth,” and form part of “an orchestrated attempt to damage her reputation.”
“Let us be clear. Ms. Malaka did not offer a bribe, did not suggest one, and did not take out or authorise any money. The cash in question was produced by the IDT spokesperson, not Ms. Malaka. She did not invite the journalist, did not know him before the meeting, and did not select the venue or arrange the setup,” the statement reads.
The Trust described the incident involving hidden cameras as “a trap engineered by others and designed to entrap her,” questioning the legality and ethics of the recording.
“Which raises the most critical, unanswered question: Who set up the hidden cameras, and why? The public deserves to know who orchestrated this recording and whether it was done legally, ethically, or as part of a political operation.”
Dismissing the allegations as baseless, the Trust said: “In law, there is no such offence as ‘intending to bribe,’ especially when no offer was made, no agreement was reached, and no money changed hands. Edited video and innuendo are not evidence. They are tactics of defamation.”
The Trust further claimed Malaka is being targeted for resisting political interference, particularly in her reported clashes with Minister Dean Macpherson.
“Ms. Malaka’s real offence, it seems, was her refusal to submit to political pressure. Her clashes with Macpherson, including board disruptions and administrative interference, are well documented. It is no coincidence that this manufactured scandal emerges in the midst of that power struggle.
Macpherson has since opened a criminal case at the Cape Town Police Station against Malaka and Makgolane.
The charges include corruption, bribery, collusion and multiple breaches of fiduciary duties under the Public Finance Management Act. His affidavit cites sections 3, 4, 12, 13 and 20 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act and calls for a broader investigation into other possible crimes stemming from the incident.