DA lays fraud, corruption charges against Linda Mti

“The investigation into Linda Mti’s involvement in a multi-billion rand fraud and corruption scandal has gone on for almost 10 years; this is a clear-cut case, charges must be laid and prosecution must commence immediately,'' Athol Trollip, the Democratic Alliance leader in the Eastern Cape legislature, said in a statement.

Accompanied by MP John Steenhuisen and the party's Winterhoek Constituency leader, Marshall von Buchenroder, the opposition politicians laid the complaint at the Uitenhage police station yesterday while on the campaign trail.

Mti was appointed head of security in the Nelson Mandela Bay municipal metro in May. The DA objected, and accused former World Cup local organising committee colleague and metro Mayor Danny Jordaan of sneaking him in.

The party was determined to snatch the metro from the African National Congress in the August 3 local government elections.

Tit-for-tat accusations between the parties have included the ANC taking Trollip to task for handling a fire hose.

The DA received 42% in the 2011 local government elections, with growth of 16% from the 2006 poll.

Previous convictions

In the latest salvo, the DA argued Mti was not suitable for the job of keeping the metro safe and crime free. This was due to his two drunk driving convictions, and an investigation into alleged fraud and corruption in the awarding of tenders while he was national correctional services commissioner.

Mti had met all the criteria for the job. His qualifications included a master’s degree, being a former head of intelligence, and a commander with the ANC’s military wing Umkhonto we Sizwe, he told the broadcaster.

The DA claimed the ANC “pushed through” the decision.

Comment on the latest development from the metro or Mti, was not immediately available. The metro's spokesperson Kupido Baron previously said in a statement they were lucky to have a security head with Mti's experience.

Ongoing investigation

The Hawks had said they were investigating the allegations based on a Special Investigation Unit report, and would consult with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) as the investigation proceeded.

The DA said the authorities' feedback on whether he was being investigated or not was muddled. That was why it prepared its own complaint.

Trollip wrote to the NPA in May to find out why it has taken so long to act on the allegations, where were about 10 years old.

National Director of Public Prosecutions Shaun Abrahams wrote back to Trollip and said a case docket based on the SIU report was opened in February 2010.

That investigation had not been finalised, the docket was not given to the NPA yet, and a decision on prosecution had not been taken.

The investigation was ongoing, he said.

Tender irregularities

According to the DA, Mti should be charged with three counts of fraud and two of corruption relating to kitchen, fencing and access control tenders. These were awarded to either facilities management company Bosasa or its affiliates and subsidiaries, Phezula or Sondolo, between 2004 and December 2005.

The DA alleged that Bosasa and its affiliates and subsidiaries were favoured during the tender process, and that rules for the tender process were not followed.

The corruption charges, in terms of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, were for allegedly accepting a multi-million rand house in Midrand, having architect's fees paid for, and getting a VW Touareg in exchange for influencing the awarding of the tenders.

The Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs department still had to say whether it had signed off on Mti's appointment.