Early Breakfast withAbongile Nzelenzele

AfriForum has laid criminal charges of money laundering and corruption against Minister Fikile Mbalula in relation to the public protector’s findings that sporting goods supplier Sedgars funded the minister's family holiday to Dubai in 2016.

A 2017 EWN investigation showed that the payment presented at the very least a conflict of interest because Mbalula was sports minister at the time of this trip while the company that sponsored it was doing business with the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc)

RELATED: Sascoc supplier allegedly paid for Mbalula's R680k trip to Dubai

Bateman has more on the story.

He tried to discredit me and the story that we had done but it was the Public Protector who ultimately investigated and confirmed that indeed there was this trip and it was paid for by Sedgars.

— Barry Bateman, Reporter - EWN

Mbalula had claimed that it was a loan from Sedgars but this was rejected by the Public Protector because the loan was only repaid to the company after I started asking questions and the story was broken.

— Barry Bateman, Reporter - EWN

This was referred to the NPA [National Prosecuting Authority] as well. Having spoken to private prosecutor Gerrie Nel at the time, he said it is a clear case of corruption just based on Fikile Mbalula's own comments in relation to the loan agreement... the fact that he accepted this loan is in itself a form of corruption.

— Barry Bateman, Reporter - EWN

Meanwhile, head of AfriForum's anti-corruption unit Monique Taute says according to their knowledge no steps have been taken by the NPA.

According to our knowledge no steps have been taken by the NPA against Fikile Mbalula and that is why we decided to file these complaints today.

— Monique Taute, Head - AfriForum's Anti-Corruption Unit

It will go through the normal process; it will go to the NPA and if they then decline to prosecute, AfriForum will look at the case and we will be looking at private prosecution.

— Monique Taute, Head - AfriForum's Anti-Corruption Unit

Click on the link below to hear the full conversation...

This article first appeared on 702 : AfriForum lays criminal complaint against Fikile Mbalula