In December, Macpherson allegedly sent an email to a programme manager at the IDT with an instruction to facilitate payment to Lonerock Construction.
This is a company appointed by the IDT to rehabilitate sinkholes at Waterkloof Airforce Base as part of a project managed on behalf of the public works and infrastructure department.
In a written response to TimesLIVE, Macpherson's spokesperson James de Villiers said the “smear campaign” against the minister is to hide the IDT's inability to handle its funds. According to De Villiers, the IDT missed every deadline it set itself to settle the nearly R19m plus interest owed to Lonerock since July 2024.
“The public campaign against the minister is clearly linked to an orchestrated campaign to shield the IDT from its complete inability to manage its finances, to run a functioning board and to deliver projects on time, as well as the scandals surrounding the oxygen plant tender.
“The minister has nothing to hide and has provided the email to any journalist who asked. That is hardly the behaviour of someone involved in corrupt activities,” said De Villiers.
TimesLIVE
LISTEN | EFF lays corruption charge against public works minister for IDT fund processes
Image: Werner Hills
The EFF laid a corruption charge against public works minister Dean Macpherson at the Pretoria Central police station on Wednesday.
According to the EFF, the minister allegedly interfered in the tender affairs of the Independent Development Trust (IDT).
The IDT is mandated to support all spheres of government with social infrastructure management and programme implementation.
In December, Macpherson allegedly sent an email to a programme manager at the IDT with an instruction to facilitate payment to Lonerock Construction.
This is a company appointed by the IDT to rehabilitate sinkholes at Waterkloof Airforce Base as part of a project managed on behalf of the public works and infrastructure department.
In a written response to TimesLIVE, Macpherson's spokesperson James de Villiers said the “smear campaign” against the minister is to hide the IDT's inability to handle its funds. According to De Villiers, the IDT missed every deadline it set itself to settle the nearly R19m plus interest owed to Lonerock since July 2024.
“The public campaign against the minister is clearly linked to an orchestrated campaign to shield the IDT from its complete inability to manage its finances, to run a functioning board and to deliver projects on time, as well as the scandals surrounding the oxygen plant tender.
“The minister has nothing to hide and has provided the email to any journalist who asked. That is hardly the behaviour of someone involved in corrupt activities,” said De Villiers.
TimesLIVE
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