Zuko Komisa

- The Malaka Family Trust claims bribery allegations against IDT CEO Tebogo Malaka are politically motivated.
- The trust alleges a “trap” was set up to remove Malaka from her position.
- Minister Dean Macpherson has opened a criminal case following the release of a video.
The Malaka Family Trust has vehemently defended Tebogo Malaka, the CEO of the Independent Development Trust (IDT), dismissing allegations of bribery as a politically motivated campaign to force her out of her position.
The trust’s statement follows a criminal case opened by Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, after a video surfaced that appears to show Malaka and an IDT spokesperson offering a journalist R60 000 to suppress a corruption story.
Minister Macpherson filed the case at a Cape Town police station, stating he was “sick to my stomach” watching the video, calling the alleged bribe “not just a criminal act but an assault on the institutional framework of government.”
However, the Malaka Family Trust claims the video is a “trap” and part of an “orchestrated attempt to damage her reputation.”
In a statement, the trust asserted that Malaka “did not offer a bribe, did not suggest one, and did not take out or authorise any money,” placing the blame on the IDT spokesperson for producing the cash. The trust questioned the legality and ethics of the hidden cameras, demanding an investigation into who set up the recording and why.
The trust further alleges that Malaka is being targeted for resisting political interference, citing “well documented” clashes with Minister Macpherson. It also suggests that the journalist may have been working in coordination with the minister.

The Malaka Family Trust has called for the immediate release of the full, unedited video footage and an independent inquiry into the alleged political interference and media collusion. They maintain that the edited video is not evidence and that Malaka is being unfairly “vilified.”
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