Prosecution of Booi exposes underworld links to developers and service providers

Malusi Booi with his nine co-accused in Cape Town Magistrate Court facing charges of corruption. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Newspapers

Malusi Booi with his nine co-accused in Cape Town Magistrate Court facing charges of corruption. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Newspapers

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Cape Town - The prosecution of former DA Mayco member, Malusi Booi, with alleged 28s gang boss Ralph Stanfield has exposed the links between the underworld, politicians and City of Cape Town officials amid a R1 billion tender fraud investigation.

Over the past week the allegations and links between Booi and the underworld have taken centre stage as prosecutors have outlined their case against him.

Booi was thrust into the limelight last year when cops raided his office and seized various electronics.

The death of City staffer Wendy Kloppers who was shot at a housing site in Delft amid extortion attempts, planted the seed for a mammoth investigation by City manager Lungelo Mbandazayo into the links between companies owned or affiliated to Stanfield and his wife

Nicole Johnson resulting in several being blacklisted.

In a series of exclusive interviews with the over the last year, Mbandazayo had started to unpack his findings and court Weekend Argus documents following Booi’s arrest.

At the time, Mbandazayo warned many would face criminal charges. In recent months, the State has also charged two of Stanfield’s alleged gang hitmen for the murder of Kloppers.

Malusi Booi

Malusi Booi. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Newspapers

Central to the state’s case are allegations that Booi abused his position as the former Mayco member for Human Settlements to facilitate the granting of tenders to companies affiliated to the notorious couple.

The state claims he banked a staggering R2.5 million in hard cash and was gifted Rolex watches valued at R2 million from the couple.

This is allegedly linked to the awarding of eight tenders worth R1 Billion. According to the search warrant served on Booi, cops also obtained permission from the magistrate to search properties owned by Stanfield, Johnson and alleged Sexy Boys gang boss Jerome ‘Donkie’ Booysen.

Suraya Manual

Suraya Manual. Picture: Leon Lestrade / Independent Newspapers.

The Grassy Park woman who works for Glomix CC, which is owned by Johnson is accused of hijacking a construction company who had obtained tenders in aid of the Stanfields.

She appeared on the cops radar earlier this year when Stanfield’s younger brother Kyle was busted storing over R4 million in suitcases at a property in Claremont.

As the investigation unfolded in June, Manual was charged with defeating the ends of justice for allegedly trying to assist the destruction of documents linked to Glomix.

Now the State contends that the woman played a role in the hijacking of ZSM Developers and forcing them to sign over directorship to her co-accused, Abdul Kader Davids.

Abdul Kader Davids

Abdul Kader Davids. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Newspapers

The director of ZSM developers came under scrutiny in July when Mbandazyo revealed that Davids allegedly colluded with Johnson and Mohammed Amod when applying for City tenders.

A handwriting expert was brought in to investigate Mbandazyo’s suspicions that all three tender bids were completed by the same person.

It is understood that by colluding, the three directors would ensure that regardless of who the tender was awarded to, Johnson would be in control.

The investigation also found that the tender application of ZSM which was competing with Johnson’s company was in fact also signed by her mother Barbara Davids, who resides in Beacon Valley. He told the Cape Town Magistrate's Court that he was merely a cleaner.

However, in legal letters written to Davids by Mbandazyo show that he was informed of the investigation findings into alleged tender collusion and had been reported to the Saps Commercial Crimes Unit.

He was shot and killed on Thursday.

Mohammed Amod

Mohammed Amod. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Newspapers

The director for Gauteng based construction company , Boon Group, was blacklisted alongside Davids as the investigation into the tender collusion unravelled.

When approached before his arrest Amod denied colluding with Johnson saying their interactions with Glomix were limited to joint ventures and joint venture tenders, which are unavoidable in Cape Town.

Meanwhile Mbandazyo’s investigation proved that those accused of colluding also presented the same grammatical errors in their applications.

Amod along with Davids have been charged with fraud.

Randall and Brenda Mullins

Brenda and Randall Mullins Photographer Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Newspapers

The couple from Kraaifontein and owners of RJ Mullins Civils were among some of the developers who had their tenders cancelled by Mbandazyo due to their affiliations with companies owned by or associated with Stanfield and Johnson in 2023.

According to a notice by Mbandazyo, the City utilised a provision of the Supply Chain Management Policy which allows the City to terminate a tender based on reputational risk to the municipality.

The paperwork reveals that the couple entered into a joint venture with Johnson for the Bonteheuwel infill project and when questioned by Mbandazyo, the company responded saying they were alarmed at the allegations that their executives were linked to criminal enterprises.

They further claimed to carry no knowledge to links between Glomix and the underworld.

According to the charge sheet the couple who had previously obtained tenders from the same department headed by Booi have been slapped with money laundering charges.

The state alleges that they accepted a payment of R735,000 into their bank account allegedly to be used by Stanfield, Booi and Johnson.

During the bail hearings the state prosecutors revealed that investigations into the couple’s financials, showed they had a whopping R20 million at their disposal in a bank account.

Thuli Imgib

Thuli Imgib. Photographer Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Newspapers

The alleged activities of Imgib were outed in April this year when the National Treasury placed Johnson on the list of restricted suppliers for the next 10 years for allegedly supplying fraudulent BEE certificates on tender applications.

In June 2023, Mbandzayo wrote to Johnson and noted various concerns on the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BEE) certificate where he states that not only was the document fraudulent, the SM BEE Rating Agency confirmed they had never issued any certificates to Glomix.

In response to Mbandazayo, Dirk Kotze attorneys who acted on behalf of Johnson, explained she had instructed New Generation Corporate Group (NGCC) to obtain the certificate on her behalf.

The attorneys stated that Johnson had submitted the certificate as it was received by NGCC and had no reason to question its authenticity as they blamed NGCC for the fake certificate.

Imgib, who was employed by NGCC later billed Johnson a R50,000 consultation fee but payment records show that in May 2023 Johnson had paid just over this amount.

According to the charge sheet Imgib now faces charges of forgery and conspiracy to commit fraud.

Nomvuyo Mnyaka

Nomvuyo Mnyaka, Photographer Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Newspapers

The ex-wife of Booi also took centre stage in the bail hearings as prosecutors alleged that she received a Rolex watch worth a whopping R690,000 as well as R20,000 from the Stanfields.

The 41-year-old woman, who was instructed to remove her face mask and sunglasses to avoid being photographed appeared perturbed in the dock as she was surrounded by cameras.

While Mnyaka was not charged with any tender related charges it is understood that the gifts given to her as the former wife of the Mayco member were questionable.

Her legal representative shocked the court last week when he revealed that the couple had split in 2022 with Mnyaka obtaining a protection order against Booi.

Lorna Ndoda

Lorna Ndoda. Photographer Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Newspapers

Booi’s relationships with women caused chuckles in the courtroom at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court when it was noted that Mnyaka was charged along with his former girlfriend, Ndoda.

According to the charge sheet between December 2021 and March 2023 Ndoda received R500,000 meant for Booi and now faces money laundering charges.

Siphokazi September

Siphokazi September. Photographer Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Newspapers

Court documents have also lifted the lid on allegations against September who is the former Director of Public Housing.

In January this year the Weekend Argus revealed that she had been sacked by the City as the spotlight fell on her shortly after Booi was removed as Mayco member.

Documents in possession of the Weekend Argus show that on the day cops raided Booi’s offices, they also obtained a warrant for September where cops seized various electronics for their investigation into her links with the construction mafia.

The search warrants show that along with Booi and September, cops obtained permission to search offices and properties owned by Johnson, Stanfeld and Jerome ‘Donkie’ Booysen.

September later complained saying the information was ‘false, defamatory, misinformed and unsubstantiated’.

However court documents have revealed that according to the state’s case they alleged that in the period between November and December 2023 September agreed to accept gratifications from Booi and influence the tender processes.

Weekend Argus