Booi prosecution reveals underworld ties among developers and service providers

Cape Town – The prosecution of former DA Mayco member Malusi Booi, along with alleged 28s gang leader Ralph Stanfield, has exposed the links between the underworld, politicians and City of Cape Town officials in an investigation into R1 billion in tender fraud.

Over the past week, Booi’s allegations and ties to the underworld have taken center stage as prosecutors laid out their case against him.

Last year, Booi came into the spotlight when police raided his office and confiscated several electronic devices.

The death of City employee Wendy Kloppers, who was shot at a housing project in Delft during extortion attempts, laid the foundation for a massive investigation by City manager Lungelo Mbandazayo into the ties between companies owned by or affiliated with Stanfield and his wife.

Nicole Johnson, which led to several others being blacklisted.

In a series of exclusive interviews over the past few years, Mbandazayo began to unfold his findings and court Weekend Argus documents after Booi’s arrest.

At the time, Mbandazayo warned that many would face criminal charges. In recent months, the state has also charged two of Stanfield’s alleged gang hitmen with Kloppers’ murder.

Malusi Booi

Malusi Booi. Photo: Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Newspapers

At the heart of the state’s case are allegations that Booi abused his position as a former Mayco member for Human Settlements to facilitate the award of tenders to companies linked to the notorious couple.

The state alleges he deposited as much as R2.5 million in cash in the bank and received Rolex watches worth R2 million from the couple.

This is said to be in connection with the awarding of eight tenders worth R1 billion. According to the search warrant served on Booi, officers were also given permission by the magistrate to search properties owned by Stanfield, Johnson and alleged Sexy Boys gang boss Jerome ‘Donkie’ Booysen.

Suraya Manual

Suraya manual. Photo: Leon Lestrade / Independent Newspapers.

The Grassy Park woman who works for Glomix CC, owned by Johnson, is accused of hijacking a construction company that had won tenders on behalf of the Stanfields.

She came onto police radar earlier this year when Stanfield’s younger brother Kyle was caught keeping more than R4 million in suitcases at a Claremont home.

As the investigation progressed in June, Manual was accused of perverting the ends of justice by attempting to assist in the destruction of documents linked to Glomix.

Now the state alleges that the woman played a role in the hijacking of ZSM Developers and in forcing the organization to hand over the directorship to her co-defendant, Abdul Kader Davids.

Abdul Kader Davids

Abdul Kader Davids. Photo: Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Newspapers

The ZSM Developers director came under fire in July when Mbandazyo revealed that Davids allegedly colluded with Johnson and Mohammed Amod in bidding for city tenders.

A handwriting expert was brought in to investigate Mbandazyo’s suspicion that all three tenders had been placed by the same person.

The intention is that the three directors will, by conspiring together, ensure that Johnson retains control, regardless of who is awarded the tender.

The investigation also found that ZSM’s tender application, which competed with Johnson’s company, was in fact also signed by her mother Barbara Davids, who lives in Beacon Valley. He told the Cape Town High Court he was merely a cleaner.

However, legal letters Mbandazyo wrote to Davids reveal that he had been informed of the findings of the investigation into alleged tender collusion and had been reported to the Saps Commercial Crimes Unit.

He was shot dead on Thursday.

Mohammed Amod

Mohammed Amod. Photo: Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Newspapers

The director of Gauteng-based construction company Boon Group was blacklisted along with Davids when the investigation into the tender collaboration spiralled out of control.

When Amod was questioned before his arrest, he denied working with Johnson. According to him, their contacts with Glomix were limited to joint ventures and joint venture tenders, which are inevitable in Cape Town.

Mbandazyo’s investigation found that those accused of collusion also made grammatical errors in their job applications.

Amod and Davids have been charged with fraud.

Randall and Brenda Mullins

Brenda and Randall Mullins Photographer Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Newspapers

The Kraaifontein couple, owners of RJ Mullins Civils, were among the developers whose tenders were cancelled by Mbandazyo in 2023 due to their ties to companies owned by or affiliated with Stanfield and Johnson.

According to a statement from Mbandazyo, the city has invoked a provision in its Supply Chain Management policy, which allows the city to terminate a tender based on reputational risks to the municipality.

The documents show that the couple entered into a joint venture with Johnson for the Bonteheuwel infill project. When questioned by Mbandazyo, the company said they were shocked by the allegations that their executives had links to criminal enterprises.

They further claimed to have no knowledge of Glomix’s ties to the underworld.

According to the indictment, the couple, who previously received orders from the same department headed by Booi, have been charged with money laundering.

The state alleges they accepted a payment of R735,000 into their bank account, which was allegedly used by Stanfield, Booi and Johnson.

During the bail hearings, prosecutors revealed that an investigation into the couple’s finances had revealed they had as much as R20 million in a bank account.

Thuli image

Thuli Imgib. Photographer Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Newspapers

Imgib’s alleged activities came to light in April this year when the Treasury placed Johnson on its restricted suppliers list for the next 10 years for allegedly providing fraudulent BEE certificates in tender applications.

In June 2023, Mbandzayo wrote to Johnson raising several concerns about the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BEE) certificate. He claimed that not only was the document fraudulent, but that the SM BEE Rating Agency confirmed that they had never issued certificates to Glomix.

In response to Mbandazayo’s ruling, Dirk Kotze’s lawyers, acting on Johnson’s behalf, explained that she had instructed New Generation Corporate Group (NGCC) to obtain the certificate on her behalf.

The lawyers argued that Johnson had submitted the certificate as it was received by NGCC and that there was no reason to question its authenticity as they blamed NGCC for the forged certificate.

Imgib, who worked at NGCC, later billed Johnson a consultation fee of R50,000, but payment records show Johnson had paid slightly more than this amount by May 2023.

According to the indictment, Imgib now faces charges of forgery and conspiracy to commit fraud.

Nomvuyo mineka

Nomvuyo Mnyaka, Photographer Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Newspapers

Booi’s ex-wife also played a key role in her bail hearings. Prosecutors said she was given a Rolex watch worth a whopping R690,000, as well as a further R20,000 from the Stanfields.

The 41-year-old woman, who was ordered to remove her face mask and sunglasses to avoid being photographed, appeared distraught as she stood in the dock surrounded by cameras.

Although Mnyaka has not been charged with any charges in connection with the tender, it is believed the gifts she received as the ex-wife of the Mayco member were questionable.

Her lawyer shocked the court last week when he revealed that the couple had split in 2022 and that Mnyaka had applied for a protection order against Booi.

Lorna Ndoda

Lorna Ndoda. Photographer Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Newspapers

Booi’s relationships with women caused laughter in the Cape Town courtroom when it was announced that Mnyaka had been charged along with his former girlfriend Ndoda.

According to the indictment, Ndoda received R500,000 between December 2021 and March 2023, intended for Booi, and is now accused of money laundering.

Siphokazi-September

Siphokazi September. Photographer Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Newspapers

Court documents have also revealed allegations against September, the former director of Public Housing.

In January of this year the weekend argus revealed that she was fired by the city for being in the spotlight shortly after Booi was removed as a member of Mayco.

Documents in the possession of the Weekend Argus it turns out that on the day they raided Booi’s office, officers also obtained a search warrant for September, in which they seized several electronic devices as part of their investigation into her ties to the construction mafia.

The search warrants show that the officers, along with Booi and September, were given permission to search the offices and properties of Johnson, Stanfeld and Jerome ‘Donkie’ Booysen.

September later complained that the information was “false, defamatory, misinformed and unsubstantiated.”

However, court documents show that the state has stated that September agreed to accept favors from Booi and influence the tender procedures between November and December 2023.

Weekend Argus