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Vincent Smith, a former ANC deputy, was released on bail of 30,000 rand after making a brief appearance in Palm Ridge Magistrates Court on Thursday afternoon. Smith turned himself in to authorities on allegations linking him to corruption between high-level political figures and Bosasa.
JOHANNESBURG – Former Member of Parliament (MP) for the African National Congress (ANC) Vincent Smith told the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court that he intended to plead not guilty to all charges against him.
Smith appeared on charges of fraud and corruption Thursday.
He appeared before the State Capture Commission earlier this year, where he was questioned about R800,000 he received from the Bosasa facility group.
His dealings with Bosasa were exposed by the company’s former chief operating officer, Angelo Agrizzi, who is also his co-defendant.
Smith’s attorney, Nthabiseng Mokoena, read his client’s affidavit at the bond hearing.
She said she intended to deny all the allegations against her.
“I deny the above allegations in the strongest terms and I intend to plead not guilty at the scheduled trial.”
Smith’s company, Euro Blitz 48, through which he allegedly accepted Bosasa’s money, is also listed as a defendant.
The court heard that the third defendant, Agrizzi, was unable to appear in court on Thursday because he was in hospital.
He is expected to be in court at the next appearance later this month.
SMITH ARREST PREVENTS ANC’S FACTIONAL MERGER
Smith’s arrest, along with those expected to follow, is seen as a fundamental disruption to South African politics.
Analysts said the former MP’s arrest showed neutrality in the National Tax Authority’s (NPA) approach to corruption and should be seen as a lesson to all South Africans who believed that some of the “new dawn” politicians were blameless.
Smith received a bond of R30,000 in Palm Ridge Magistrates Court after turning himself in to police on Thursday morning.
While pressure continues to mount for law enforcement agencies to come forward with more politicians, numerous leaders of the African National Congress (ANC), including Nomvula Mokonyane, Ace Magashule and Zizi Kodwa, have been implicated in the investigation before the vice president of the Supreme Court Raymond Zondo. .
Smith’s arrest has been considered smart, as it prevents a political collapse of the ANC factions.
Dr Sthembile Mbete from the University of Pretoria said: “That the independent leadership, the NPA, has been able to act independently in their own time to build a case that they think is strong, I think it’s good that there doesn’t seem to be any type of leadership, externally, of senior ANC officials “.
Lukhona Mguni, from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, said the warnings from the president of the League of Women of the African National Congress, Bathabile Dlamini, that all ANC leaders had “smaller nyana skeletons” rang true.
Even for politicians like Smith who tried to position themselves as clean.
“He was the first on the doorbell to say ‘I will reinvent myself to be relevant to the new dawn’, kante, sadly, the ghost of the past.”
Smith is due to return to court on October 14.
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