RALPH AND BOOIS OFF THE HOOK

Alleged 28s gang boss Ralph Stanfield and ex-City of Cape Town official Malusi Booi were “provisionally” let off the hook in the R1bn "Construction Mafia" tender fraud scandal.

Stanfield and his businesswoman vrou Nicole Johnson appeared in the Cape Town Magistrates Court on Friday when it heard that commercial charges against the couple and other co-accused had their charges provisionally withdrawn in the moerse case.

The pair who initially faced charges alongside Johannes “Bal” Abrahams, Denver Booysen and Jose Brand linked to a manhunt and attempted murder of a former employee of Stanfield, who allegedly stole over R1 million from the couple.

However, the Stanfields will remain behind bars on other charges as the court saw the case grow as other co-accused joined the dock.

Other co-accused include Stanfield’s brother Kyle, Nicole’s mother Barbara Johnson, former City of Cape Town director of public housing Siphokazi September, Suraya Manual, Phakamisa Nondabula, Jonathan Cloete, Shakeel Pelston, Imtiyaas Sedick, Warren Lee Dennis, Michael Morris, Chevonne McNabb, Sharazaadht Essop, Mohammad Amod, Randal Mullins, Breda Mullins, Thuli Imgib, Nomvuyo Mnyaka and Lona Ndoda.

The Director of Public Prosecutions in the Western Cape advocate Nicolette Bell provisionally withdrew charges against Manual, Amod, Mullins, Mullins, Imgib, Mnyaka, Nondabula, Ndoda, September, Barbara Johnson and Kyle Stanfield.

National Prosecution Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said: “Police discovered new evidence during their investigation, and it is apposite at this stage to provisionally withdraw the 16 commercial charges against the accused pending the finalisation of the investigation stemming from the newfound evidence. 

“The State will reinstate the charges once the investigation has been finalised.

“Ralph, Nicole, Johannes, Booysen, Brandt, Cloete, Pelston, Sedick, Dennis, Morris, McNabb, Essop, Brandon Cornelius and Keithan Gardiner will be indicted in the Western Cape Division of the High Court on the gang related offences for the alleged contravention of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA)  as well as the predicate offences thereto inter alia, the murders of Wendy Kloppers, Rashied Staggie, William Stevens, Faizel Adams and Ismail Abrahams.”

Meanwhile Booi took to X to say he's dankbaar after a turn of events.

Booi said: "I would like to take this opportunity to thank my 84-year-old mother, my ancestors, my partner, my entire family, friends, Nitta & crew, Manxasana & crew for their unwavering support & belief in my innocence!"