COSATU calls for an investigation of the North West NPA Office for sabotaging and intentionally mismanaging the perjury case of Emmanuel Masoka in the Moss Phakoe murder case
23 August 2018
The Congress of South African Trade Unions is intensely angered by what we believe is the intentional sabotage and mismanagement of the perjury case of Emmanuel Masoka in the Moss Phakoe murder case by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in North West.
The case has since been thrown out of court because the prosecutor failed to appear in court on three different occasions after repeatedly asking for a postponement of the case. This is not just reckless by the prosecutor’s office but it is criminal and is a sign of flagrant disrespect for the Phakoe Family.
Emmanuel Masoka was a key state witness, who recanted his evidence in a case of the killing of Cde Moss Phakoe. His actions led to the release of Former Rustenburg Mayor Matthew Wolmarans and his bodyguard Enoch Matshaba from prison. Emmanuel Masoka has since been charged with perjury for making conflicting statements under oath.
Cde Moss Phakoe was shot and killed outside his home in March 2009, two days after submitting a dossier containing evidence of corruption in the Rustenburg municipality. The federation wants Emmanuel Masoka to explain why he lied to the court, who gave him money to lie. We remain hopeful that the case on who killed Cde Moss Phakoe will be reopened and that the killer/s will be identified and sent to prison for a long time.
COSATU wants the Acting National Commissioner to act on this matter. The federation is incensed by the NPA’s repeated attempts to hide the real culprits behind the killing of Cde Moss Phakoe.
We strongly believe that there is a lot of political interference in this case and we want those behind it exposed. COSATU remains unwavering though in our pursuit of Justice for the Phakoe family and we will continue to demand the arrest and sentencing of the killers of Cde Moss Phakoe.
We remain determined to relentlessly pursue the killers of this selfless activist and revolutionary.
Issued by Solly Phetoe, Deputy General Secretary, COSATU, 23 August 2018
