Malusi Booi arrest highlights extent of rot in government - criminologist

Lester Kiewit speaks to Dr Simon Howell of UCT’s Centre for Criminology following the arrest of former City of Cape Town Human Settlements MMC Malusi Booi.

Listen below.

Former City of Cape Town Human Settlements MMC Malusi Booi was remanded in custody following his Cape Town Magistrates Court appearance on fraud and corruption charges this week.

Booi and his nine co-accused applied for bail, but the matter was postponed to Friday.

In March last year, police raided Booi's office and confiscated cellphones and laptops.

The state alleges that the group was part of a criminal enterprise headed by alleged underworld boss Ralph Stanfield and his wife Nicole Johnson.

The state alleges that Booi influenced tender outcomes for contracts worth more than R850 million while in the Human Settlements Department.

It further alleges Booi received payments of more than R4 million for his alleged involvement in the corruption.

Howell says the case highlights the extent of corruption in South Africa.

"It begins to paint a picture of the depth in which corruption has been implemented and embedded in the governance of South Africa... and the relationships between government officials and criminal organisations."

- Dr Simon Howell, Centre for Criminology - UCT 

Howell says the Booi trial may bring to light the depth of those relationships.

He says action must be taken to bring the guilty parties to book.

"The time is now for us to actually begin dealing with corruption in a substantive manner and in a court of law."

- Dr Simon Howell, Centre for Criminology - UCT 

Western Cape police management says the net is slowly closing in on alleged underworld figures in Cape Town.

Provincial police commissioner Thembisile Patekile said more arrests can be expected in the case.

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Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.