New twist in MP extortion scandal

JOHANNESBURG - Suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s husband, Mandla Skosana, has officially handed over all the WhatsApp messages between him and former energy minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson to support his claim that three Members of Parliament tried to extort a R600,000 bribe from him.

Skosana opened a criminal case three weeks ago at OR Tambo International Airport police station alleging that Joemat-Pettersson; the ANC chief whip in Parliament, Pemmy Majodina; and the chairperson of the Section 194 inquiry probing Mkhwebane’s fitness to hold office, Richard Dyantyi, solicited a bribe from him to “manipulate or make the inquiry” against his wife “go away”.

The DFA’s sister publication The Star confirmed on Monday that Skosana met Hawks investigators in Germiston, Ekurhuleni, on Friday, where he handed over all the WhatsApp messages between him and Joemat-Pettersson.

Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Thandi Mbambo confirmed that the elite investigating unit was now probing the case.

“We can confirm that the Hawks received a case docket of extortion as per cas 95/05/23 for further investigation. Investigating is at its infancy stage. We are not at liberty to discuss details thereof so as to protect the integrity of the investigation.”

Skosana, in his affidavit to the police, said that Joemat-Pettersson told him that she was representing Majodina and Dyantyi.

Majodina and Dyantyi have so far publicly distanced themselves from the scandal but haven’t once called Joemat-Pettersson a liar.

The Star was allowed to see all the WhatsApp messages between Skosana and Joemat-Pettersson on Sunday. The messages reveal that it was Joemat-Pettersson who first approached Skosana and asked for an “urgent meeting”.

She told him that she was flying all the way from Cape Town to specifically meet him and also gave him the time and a restaurant to meet at, which she said “was safe and ideal because it did not have cameras”.

At this meeting on March 21, Skosana claims Joemat-Pettersson demanded a R600,000 bribe for herself, Majodina and Dyantyi to “manipulate or make the inquiry” against Mkhwebane “go away”.

On March 22, at 11am, Joemat-Pettersson sent a WhatsApp message with a location to Skosana, asking for another urgent meeting. At 11.57am on the same day, Joemat-Pettersson sent another message to Skosana, who seemed reluctant to have another meeting, saying “urgent. they’re ready”. “They” meant Majodina and Dyantyi.

Skosana promised to call Joemat-Pettersson after receiving this message, and we aren’t sure whether “they” met Skosana on the same day.

On March 26, at 12.48pm, Joemat-Pettersson sent another WhatsApp message saying: “Afternoon, brother. PLZ let me know what time you can make it today.” It is believed this is the day Skosana was expected to deliver the bribe.

Skosana, at 12.49pm, responded: “Good afternoon. Are you and the other one ready at what time.”

Joemat-Pettersson replied: “The other one is waiting for me. Let’s meet and discuss.”

Skosana asked: “So am I meeting you alone.” And she responded with a “yes”.

On March 27, at 10.20am, Joemat-Pettersson sent Skosana to another location in Pretoria. And two minutes later, she followed up on the location, saying: “I will be available at this location at 12:30pm today. The other two are still in Gauteng until tomorrow, but they don’t want to meet you yet.”

The WhatsApp messages suggest that Skosana insisted on meeting Majodina and Dyantyi, who were in Gauteng for an ANC engagement, instead of meeting Joemat-Pettersson alone.

On March 28, there was another meeting planned, but Joemat-Pettersson was stuck in Cape Town, and at 5.48pm she sent Skosana another WhatsApp saying: “I will be back in Gauteng on Friday. We must meet urgently. Time is not (on) our side.”

In his statement to police, Skosana said he was “pained by the approach made to me to make available a sum of R200,000 each for Joemat-Pettersson, Dyantyi and Majodina so they could manipulate or make the impeachment proceedings go away.

“I was very shocked to realise that I was being asked to pay what, to me as a layperson, appeared to be a bribe to Joemat-Pettersson, Majodina and Dyantyi in exchange for them helping the PP have a fair hearing,” he stated.

Skosana asked the police to investigate “the bribery request made to me by Joemat-Pettersson on her own behalf and, as she asserted, on behalf of Dyantyi and Majodina”.

“I would like this matter to be thoroughly investigated and the culprits brought to book to account for their actions, as it taints and compromises a process that has brought so much agony and suffering to my family.”

Skosana said Joemat-Pettersson told him that Dyantyi was “used” to chair the inquiry against Mkhwebane, who was suspended a day after she sent 31 questions to President Cyril Ramaphosa in connection with the robbery of undisclosed US dollars at his Phala Phala farm in Bela-Bela, Limpopo. And also that Majodina and Dyantyi were very angry that they weren’t appointed as ministers during Ramaphosa’s Cabinet reshuffle in February.

Skosana explained that two days later, Joemat-Pettersson called him to another meeting at the same restaurant, where she told him Majodina and Dyantyi were both in Gauteng “attending the ANC’s annual lekgotla meeting”. It was in this meeting that Skosana claims Joemat-Pettersson told him that Ramaphosa wants them to finish the parliamentary inquiry against Mkhwebane as soon as possible.

Skosana, in his affidavit, said that after playing along with Joemat-Pettersson, he told her he wasn’t going to pay any bribe but called a press conference to reveal that the three MPs had solicited a bribe from him.

Skosana said he was later forced to disclose the information to Mkhwebane, and “she was visibly shocked and distraught to learn of such corruption and criminal activity by Members of Parliament”.

“She was shocked to learn that the Section 194 process was being manipulated behind the scenes and tainted by proposals of bribery.”

Skosana said he made a full disclosure to Mkhwebane and her legal team on May 9, 2023.

“I am in possession of a WhatsApp exchange between myself and Joemat-Pettersson. I will provide all that material to the SAPS.”

Joemat-Pettersson told The Star that she “spoke” to Skosana but didn’t want to reveal what they were talking about and never denied or confirmed meeting him face-to-face.

Majodina said she knew nothing about Joemat-Pettersson approaching Skosana on her behalf to solicit a bribe.

“The correct person to seek clarity from is Tina, as you mention her. I don’t even sit in the Section 194 Committee.”

Dyantyi has so far failed to answer The Star’s questions.