Durban - Former KwaZulu-Natal Economic Development MEC Mike Mabuyakhulu, who celebrated his acquittal on fraud and corruption charges on Tuesday, says the lack of crowds of ANC supporters outside the court was due to his request for members not to attend his fraud and corruption trial.
He revealed this on Tuesday outside the Durban High Court, following his acquittal on the fraud and corruption trial.
Judge Mahendra Chetty found the former MEC, along with his co-accused, not guilty on all charges that included fraud and corruption linked to the staging of the North Sea Jazz Festival in 2012.
Speaking to The Mercury following the judgment, Mabuyakhulu revealed that he had asked the leadership to ensure that there were no party members and supporters in or outside the court during the trial.
“I want to thank the ANC leadership as well as the alliance leaders for respecting my request on the matter,” he said.
In the past, court appearances of some of the ANC leaders, including former President Jacob Zuma and former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede, have been characterised by crowds of members and supporters outside the court to show solidarity.
Mabuyakhulu, the former ANC KwaZulu-Natal deputy chairperson, said he knew that in some circles people could draw wrong conclusions from the absence of ANC supporters during his trial.
“To someone who is not clued up, the absence meant that there was no support for me, but the fact is I did not want to taint the ANC image, and am thankful that my request was respected,” the former MEC said.
According to the judge, the State had failed to make out a case of wrongdoing or corrupt practices on the part of Mabuyakhulu and his co-accused.