Former Minister of the State Security Agency, Bongani Bongo, 47, has found himself back in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court, facing renewed corruption charges. Granted R5,000 bail on Tuesday, Bongo is set to reappear in court on March 4, marking a significant development in a case that has drawn national attention.
Bongo is accused of offering a bribe to Ntuthuzelo Vanara, the evidence leader in Parliament’s Eskom inquiry in 2017, a charge that falls under the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act 12 of 2004 (PRECCA). This retrial comes after Bongo’s previous acquittal by impeached judge John Hlophe, a decision now overturned by higher judicial authorities.
According to Hawks spokesperson Katlego Mogale, Bongo approached a member of the then Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises between September and October 2017, attempting to orchestrate a meeting to derail the committee’s upcoming session with the Eskom board. During this meeting, Bongo allegedly suggested that the inquiry could be stopped if the committee member named their price.
Bongo, a former member of the National Assembly who later served as Minister of State Security, held his parliamentary position until May 28, 2024. Despite his departure from political office, the allegations have continued to shadow him. Hawks national head Godfrey Lebeya reaffirmed the directorate’s commitment to pursuing justice without fear or favor.
The State alleges that on October 10, 2017, in Cape Town, Bongo wrongfully and intentionally offered gratification to Vanara, then the senior manager for Legal and Constitutional Services in the Speaker of Parliament’s office. The alleged bribe was intended to induce Vanara to fake illness, take sick leave, or otherwise obstruct the parliamentary inquiry into Eskom.
The initial trial, overseen by Judge Hlophe, concluded on February 26, 2021, with Bongo’s acquittal after he pleaded not guilty and submitted a written plea denying all allegations. However, last year, Supreme Court of Appeal Judge John Smith ordered a retrial, citing multiple legal errors in the original proceedings. Judge Smith stated that the State’s evidence, particularly Vanara’s testimony, constituted prima facie evidence of corruption and could reasonably lead to a conviction.
Vanara previously testified that he was “confused” about what was required of him during Bongo’s approach. Bongo allegedly told Vanara that the inquiry could not proceed without him and encouraged him to fake illness. When Vanara resisted, Bongo reportedly said, “Just name the price and tell me how you would help stop the inquiry. I will then go back to the Eskom people, tell them of your plan and the price; they will give me the money, and I will hand it over to you.”
As the retrial unfolds, this case continues to highlight issues of political integrity and the legal system’s role in addressing corruption within public institutions.
