Linda Mti belongs in jail, not protected by Danny Jordaan

12 June 2016

Note to Editor: these were the remarks made by Mr Trollip at a press conference in Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) today. Mr Trollip was joined by the DA’s Shadow Minister of Justice, Adv Glynnis Breytenbach MP.

Today the DA can reveal the scathing findings of the SIU against Danny Jordaan's criminal pal, Linda Mti, implicated in fraud and corruption of over R1 billion.

The DA is in possession of the SIU report. I will inform the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Michael Masutha, and the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP), Adv Shaun Abrahams, that I have had sight of this SIU report, and request reasons as to why prosecution has not gone ahead.

I will also send this SIU report to Adv Abrahams to remind him that prosecution of Linda Mti is now 9 years delayed. 

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has no reason not to prosecute Linda Mti who is bizarrely now NMB’s Head of Safety and Security, given the findings of the SIU’s investigation into tender corruption by Mr. Mti.

Mayor Jordaan has embraced corruption by appointing Linda Mti to the position of Head of Safety and Security. Jordaan has shown himself to be a protector of corruption, rather than a fighter of corruption.

Not a single NMB official implicated in corruption has been charged, or gone to jail, as the ANC predictably continues to protect fraudsters at the expense of service delivery and jobs.

Only the DA is capable of stopping corruption in Nelson Mandela Bay, after years of ANC mismanagement and maladministration.

This 95-page SIU report outlines the corrupt and unlawful way in which Mr. Mti failed to properly discipline Mr. Gillingham for numerous wrongdoings.

Instead, Mr. Gillingham was promoted to Prisons Department CFO, specifically in order to facilitate corrupt financial dealings with Bosasa.

After Bosasa was dubiously awarded a R1.5 billion tender with the Prisons Department, the company went on to pay for the design and construction of Mr. Mti’s enormous Savannah Hills mansion. Furthermore, there is a very strong suspicion that Bosasa also purchased a brand new VW Touareg for Mr. Mti.

Today I again call on Danny Jordaan to immediately suspend Linda Mti until such time as this case is finalised. Mayor Jordaan cannot allow his criminal pal, implicated in this enormous corruption scandal, to remain head of the Safety and Security of our Metro.

Mr. Mti cannot be in high office while he is the subject of a multi-billion rand fraud and corruption investigation.

From the NDPP I now expect written reasons as to why prosecution has not gone ahead, against a person so closely linked to the ANC and Danny Jordaan. If there is political meddling at play, it must be outed and the DA will ensure it is ended in this matter.

The NPA has had 9 years to consider this matter and can no longer delay prosecution given the conclusions reached by the SIU.

The DA can win Nelson Mandela Bay at this year’s local government election to usher in clean governance that is focused on delivering better services, stopping corruption and creating jobs.

The DA will bring the change to NMB that we need to move forward again.

Statement issued by Athol Trollip, DA Mayoral Candidate for Nelson Mandela Bay, 12 June 2016