PRETORIA, Gauteng — The MK Party has officially opened a criminal case concerning corruption allegations against acting Judge Samuel Makamu, demanding his immediate suspension from the bench. The political party’s national spokesperson, Sifiso Mahlangu, confirmed the move, urging authorities to prosecute the judge over claims that he solicited a R5,000 bribe in exchange for influencing a court appeal.
The decision follows widespread media reports, including coverage in The Citizen and City Press, detailing bribery accusations against the acting Johannesburg High Court judge. According to Mahlangu, the allegations were originally laid by an attorney who claims Makamu contacted him on his personal cell phone to solicit a R7,000 bribe regarding an application for leave to appeal.
“After a lengthy discussion, they dropped the amount to R5,000, which was deposited into the judge’s Capitec account,” Mahlangu explained. He noted that the attorney has provided court papers proving the cell phone communication, as well as bank statements confirming the deposit. The complainant alleges that the judge subsequently failed to rule in his favor as intended, prompting him to report the matter and triggering an investigation that uncovered prima facie evidence.
Despite the submission of this evidence, Mahlangu expressed deep frustration that Judge Makamu remains on the bench at the Pretoria High Court, continuing to adjudicate cases similar to those he is accused of compromising.
“Our point of departure is that once a complaint was laid, the judge should have been suspended at that point,” Mahlangu stated. He heavily criticized Chief Justice Mandisa Maya for not suspending the judge, framing the inaction as a reflection of the MK Party’s broader concerns regarding the independence of the judiciary.
The MK Party is now escalating its efforts, with Mahlangu confirming that the party is engaging lawyers to file an application for the judge’s removal. If the judge does not voluntarily step aside to clear his name, Mahlangu warned that the party will mobilize supporters. “We will be there at the Pretoria High Court in our buses as the MK Party outside the court demanding this,” he said.
Mahlangu also pointed out that the MK Party and two other non-governmental organizations have already written to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) regarding the matter, yet no action has been taken. He further criticized the President, claiming he is “preoccupied” and “clocking it,” leaving critical justice matters unattended.
Highlighting what he described as a double standard, Mahlangu compared the current situation to the State versus Sand case, where a judge was swiftly suspended. He also alleged that Makamu has a history of controversies, urging the public to look into the judge’s past.
The MK Party’s intervention forms part of its broader anti-corruption mandate. Mahlangu noted that the party recently suspended two officials in Ekurhuleni for allegedly selling jobs and is actively pursuing a matter involving the City of Johannesburg (COJ), where two high-ranking officials are expected to be charged.
“We are acting right across the country,” Mahlangu concluded. “The people of South Africa have elected us to represent them, and I hope that they are happy that we are doing exactly what they had mandated us to do.”
