Cape Town – Former State Security Agency Minister, Advocate Bongani Thomas Bongo, who was arrested earlier Tuesday, (4 February 2025), appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on charges of corruption.
The 47-year-old former minister was granted bail of R5 000. His case was postponed to 4 March 2025.
Allegations are that between September and October 2017, the accused approached a member of the then Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises to allegedly arrange a meeting to prevent a sitting in which the underfire Eskom board was to account.
Bongo was accused of trying to bribe an evidence leader, Ntuthuzelo Vanara, in Parliament’s 2017 inquiry probing state capture at Eskom.
Vanara alleged that Bongo, then an MP, had tried to bribe him into halting or collapsing the inquiry by faking an illness and taking sick leave.
Bongo was a member of the National Assembly until 28 May 2024.
“All MP’s are bound by the Code of Ethics, and all other ethical and other obligations and duties arising from the Constitution, the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act, No. 4 of 2004, and the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act 12 of 2004,” explained Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale.
Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, (Hawks), Lieutenant General (Dr\Adv.) SG Lebeya said: “The Directorate will continue to execute its mandate without fear, favour, or prejudice”.
Lieutenant General Lebeya also applauded the National Serious Corruption investigating team and encouraged the prosecution team to ensure that the South African citizenry received deserved justice.
Bongo was previously acquitted of corruption in the same matter by then-judge president of the Western Cape, John Hlophe, who cited a lack of evidence.
However, last year in May, the Supreme Court of Appeal overturned Bongo’s acquittal and ordered that the matter return to the high court for trial.
