LIVE: Macpherson to speak on IDT scandal after CEO caught offering journalist R60K bribe on video

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson is expected to address the latest developments in the crisis engulfing the Independent Development Trust (IDT) at noon today outside the Cape Town Central Police Station.

This comes after the Daily Maverick published video evidence allegedly showing suspended IDT CEO Tebogo Malaka and spokesperson Phasha Makgolane offering R60,000 in cash to investigative journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh.

The bribe was allegedly intended to halt an exposé the publication was working on.

The meeting reportedly took place on Sunday, August 3, 2025, at a restaurant near Stellenbosch, just days after Malaka’s suspension.

Malaka was suspended after a forensic investigation by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) uncovered serious procurement irregularities in the IDT’s R836 million PSA Oxygen Plant project, intended to equip 60 hospitals with oxygen systems.

Of the total, R528 million was handled by the IDT.

During a media briefing last week, Macpherson revealed that companies awarded contracts lacked proper certification, verifiable contact details, or operational capacity. He said these findings raise major concerns about the IDT’s procurement integrity and internal oversight.

Macpherson is also expected to address what he believes is a coordinated, possibly paid-for campaign to undermine his efforts to restore governance and stability to the IDT, which plays a vital role in delivering social infrastructure across the country.

hope.ntanzi@iol.co.za

Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.

IOL Politics