The two municipal civil servants, embroiled in a decade of corruption allegations under DA Mayor Memory Booysen's facilitation, may have celebrated their reprieve too early
Garden Route District Municipality's municipal manager, Monde Stratu celebrated a legal victory on Wednesday, believing charges against him and former Knysna municipal manager Sitembele Wiseman Vatala had been dropped.
With DA Mayor Memory Booysen (who enabled their activities over the past decade) being selected for Provincial Parliament recently, many of their woes appeared to be lifting.
However, the joy was short-lived as the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) clarified that the charges against Stratu were not withdrawn but rather the case was struck off the roll due to procedural delays by the state, and will be rejoined soon, once the NPA has its ducks in a row.
The NPA's statement followed media announcements by Stratu and his lawyer, confirming that while the case had been struck off, it was not withdrawn. The decision was made by a Knysna Regional Court magistrate due to the state's delays, with the defence requesting the case be struck off and the state opposing. The court sided with the defence, leading to the case being removed from the roll.
NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila emphasized that the case's status was struck off, not withdrawn, and the Director of Public Prosecutions in the Western Cape would decide whether to re-enroll it. The charges relate to alleged property transfers between Knysna and Garden Route District Municipality, valued at R64m.
Stratu had initially claimed in a media statement that the legal action against him was withdrawn, but his lawyer later clarified that the case was struck off the roll. Jerome Bans, Stratu's legal representative, expressed his client's relief at the decision, noting the toll the case had taken on Stratu's health. He explained that the case being struck off means there is no timeline for its re-enrollment, if at all.
Ntabazalila highlighted that Stratu had made representations last year, leading to further investigations. The matter was reviewed by the Director of Public Prosecutions in the Western Cape, and a decision on re-enrollment will be considered based on the court's order.
