The High Court in Bloemfontein will today resume proceedings in the “trial within a trial” related to the controversial R255 million asbestos roof removal case. The matter was postponed last Thursday after the state’s investigating officer, a key witness, fell ill.
Judge Phillip Loubser is expected to rule on whether defense lawyers, beyond those representing former Free State Premier Ace Magashule, will be permitted to cross-examine the state witness. Last week, Magashule’s legal representative, Laurence Hodes, requested to question the witness.
The case stems from the alleged illegal awarding of a multi-million-rand tender during Magashule’s tenure as premier. Central to the proceedings is Moroadia Cholota, Magashule’s former personal assistant, who was initially considered a state witness. However, according to the investigating officer, Cholota became uncooperative in 2021 during an interview with investigators in the United States. Authorities subsequently moved to have her arrested and extradited to South Africa to face charges alongside Magashule and other accused.
Cholota is currently challenging the legality of her extradition from the U.S., a matter being addressed in the ongoing “trial within a trial.”
The case has drawn significant attention due to its high-profile defendants and its implications for accountability in South Africa’s ongoing fight against corruption. Proceedings are set to continue as the court evaluates procedural and evidentiary disputes before the main trial can proceed.
