Zuma’s son ‘tried to intervene’

Former president Jacob Zuma’s son, Edward, is alleged to have interfered‚ albeit unsuccessfully‚ in the payment of about R15m from the KwaZulu-Natal police coffers to a controversial Durban businessman.

The money‚ due to Gold Coast Trading and its owner Thoshan Panday‚ was frozen as part of a 2010 investigation into fraud and corruption between Panday and senior police officials in the province.

The allegations form part of former KwaZulu-Natal Hawks boss Johan Booysen’s evidence before the state capture inquiry.

Testifying on Wednesday‚ Booysen – who was heading the investigation at the time – alleged that Edward asked him to unfreeze the money so that he could be paid his dividends as Panday’s business partner.

The investigation of Panday centres on how he acquired lucrative contracts from the police’s supply chain management division‚ including a massive accommodation deal to shelter officers during the 2010 World Cup.

It is alleged that Panday inflated prices and pocketed about R60m from various underhand deals.

Booysen told the commission his investigation had found that between January and October 2009‚ Panday’s firm was struggling financially.

However‚ between November and December that year‚ it received up to R2m from the provincial police.

The company would go on to accumulate about R60m in total from the police over the next few months – R45m of which was paid.

The remaining R15m was about to be cleared but was frozen as the probe took off.

Booysen said he was then approached by Zuma.

“He [Edward] started talking about the R15m which I had frozen,” Booysen said.

“He asked me if [I could] unfreeze the money.

“He said to me he is a silent partner with [Panday] and said he is not getting his dividends.”

He said he had asked Zuma how much he had invested with Panday’s company. Zuma said it was R900‚000. “I said: ‘Tell [Panday] you want your R900‚000 back. Take your money and walk away and never look back’,” Booysen said.