Durban – Durban businessperson Roy Moodley, a well-known benefactor of former president Jacob Zuma, is at the centre of a storm following a leaked whistleblower report accusing him of capturing the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in KwaZulu-Natal.
The explosive allegations, contained in a letter sent to National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Shamila Batohi, claim that senior officials within the NPA in the province are embroiled in a corrupt relationship with Moodley and have committed blatant transgressions of the NPA's code of ethics.
The whistleblower, who identifies themselves as a seasoned prosecutor, said the tip-off should be seen as "my humble contribution towards the organisation’s efforts to eradicate corruption and violation of NPA policies, as well as the code of ethics".
The complaint dated 3 April reads: "My complaint is also inspired by the address you [Batohi] made in 2023 to the graduate prosecutors who were being recognised for completing the aspirant prosecutor programme, wherein you sent a strong warning to prosecutors who take bribes to make criminal cases go away that there is no place for corruption and dishonesty in the NPA."
The whistleblower specifically points to the conduct of Chief Public Prosecutor Gonasagren Naidoo and Provincial Director of Public Prosecutions, Elaine Harrison, alleging that their behaviour is contrary to the clean governance and accountability expected in the NPA. The letter states that their conduct "borders on serious and flagrant violation and disregard of NPA policies and amounts to blatant corruption".
According to the complaint, Moodley has allegedly visited Harrison's office several times in recent months, with the most recent visit occurring on 19 March.
The letter adds: "His visits have been likened to that of a VIP, with no security protocols being followed and him not even signing in to the office. Moodley has also offered expensive holiday trips to various officials within the DPP’s office. I have also learnt that the DPP visited Moodley at a private location in March when she was off from work on sick leave."
The whistleblower also alleges that Moodley met with Naidoo last year on the eve of Duduzile Zuma’s trial for charges related to the July 2021 unrest. Duduzile Zuma was charged with incitement to commit terrorism and two counts of incitement to commit public violence during the unrest following her father's imprisonment for contempt of court for refusing to appear before the Zondo inquiry.
These allegations have fuelled speculation that Moodley has captured all levels of the judiciary and NPA, raising serious concerns about the integrity of the justice system in KwaZulu-Natal.
Moodley's name surfaced repeatedly during the Zondo commission of inquiry, yet he has never been formally charged with any crime. The whistleblower claims this is due to his close relationships with NPA bosses in the province.
Zuma's relationship with Moodley dates back to his time in office. In his 2009 book The President's Keepers, investigative journalist Jacques Pauw revealed that Moodley had paid Zuma R1 million a month for four months during his first term as president.
The complainant alleges that the provincial DPP had also met with Moodley at various private residences and their association was rather "strange and begs the question: Is the office of the most senior member in the justice cluster in KwaZulu-Natal captured?"
The letter further claims that Moodley is using "the same illicit money from state capture to flaunt his wealth in the acquisition of football teams and hotels. This includes the recent collapsed proposed sale of the Royal AM football team, owned by Shauwn Mkhize, to Moodley, after he failed to meet the SA Revenue Service vetting requirements."
The allegations against Moodley and his son Selvan Moodley’s proximity to law enforcement officials are not new. In January, the lawyers of Moodley's former business partners Ashveer Dwarikapersadh and Ridwaan Mohamed, wrote to Harrison.
Through their lawyer, Pagel Schulenburg, Dwarikapersadh and Mohamed alleged that Moodley was using the criminal justice system and his familial connections to gain access to several entities.
The letter reads: "Our clients are of the view that the Durban chief prosecutor [Naidoo] has a close relationship with the family of Moodley and that he may be subject to undue influence in the prosecution of this matter. Considering the close relationship and our clients' previous experiences with the Moodley family, our clients have serious concerns that the chief prosecutor may have or may put pressure to have warrants of arrest issued [this despite our constant stream of correspondence and undertakings to cooperate with any investigations]."
The younger Moodley is involved in a legal dispute with Dwarikapersadh and Mohamed over the shareholding and directorship in Strawberry Worx POP, S and A Projects and Management and Touchpoint Media. Several civil proceedings are in the high courts in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
NPA national spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga confirmed receiving the whistleblower's complaint.
NPA regional spokesperson Natasha Ramkissoon-Kara previously said Harrison disputed allegations that the chief prosecutor was being influenced by the Moodleys.
"We confirm that the NDPP received the letter and engaged [with]both officials implicated in the letter, but [they] have denied the allegations contained therein. However, the NDPP has forwarded the letter to our office for ethics and accountability for a formal investigation."
Moodley Responds, Threatens Legal Action
Moodley has vehemently denied the allegations, accusing his son's former business partners of tarnishing his image and that of his family. "Now you are fed more false information anonymously by the same suspects who leaked the previous letter to you," he said.
He threatened to get the City Press journalist arrested and said he would sue.
He said he had never been to the DPP's offices or met Harrison anywhere.
"I don’t even know how she looks. I strongly believe the suspects are trying to disrupt the investigations … they are guilty of fraud, theft and money laundering."
Moodley accused the whistleblower of impersonating a prosecutor.
He said: "This letter was drafted by the fake attorneys misleading the suspects for financial gain. There was no meeting whatsoever with Naidoo on the eve of Zuma’s court appearance. This anonymous 'tip-off' is not by any prosecutor but a false complaint by fraud accused who are committing another fraud with these manufactured letters," he lashed out.
Follow Us on Twitter
