Luxury vehicles and mansions: NPA to seize Sodi’s assets

The chickens have come home to roost for local businessman Edwin Sodi, as the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) will be continuing with the seizing of his assets on Tuesday, 6 October 2020.

Sodi, along with several other people including human settlements head of department Nthimotse Mokhesi and John Matlakala, the department’s director of supply chain management, were arrested by the Hawks for their role in the R255 million asbestos scandal.

They were granted bail ranging from R50 000 to R500 000 on Friday, 2 October 2020.

Dozens of charges against accused

The businessman boasts assets which read like a grocery list – including luxury vehicles; Bently, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche Cayenne, Rolls-Royce and others. He also owns 11 properties, including in upmarket suburbs. Sodi is essentially at the centre of the saga, owning the most assets amongst his co-accused.

As if that wasn’t enough, Blackhead Consulting, Sodi’s company owns a whole fleet of vehicles, including several Ford Ranger, Polo Vivo and Nissan vehicles. There was notably a R3 million Ferrari. Sodi appeared before the state capture inquiry where he admitted to giving money to the African National Congress (ANC), including some of its high-profile members.

Blackhead Consulting and Diamond Hill Trading, which were meant to assess houses with asbestos roofing in the Free State, back in 2016.

Former Mangaung mayor Sarah ‘Olly’ Mlamleli, who’s also the accused, could lose five properties in her name as well as two vehicles, including an Audi Q7. Meanwhile former human settlements minister Thabane Zulu has a home in Pretoria and several cars, including a Range Rover.

The AFU has said Mlamleli needed to be held accountable as she failed to flag the hundreds of millions made to both companies, during her tenure.

“There was a duty by Mlamleli to act and stop the irregular procurement and if she did so the DHS would not have suffered a further loss of R139m and Mlamleli clearly ignored the AG’s report and further identified herself with the criminal activity that was being perpetuated through a fraudulent scheme by department officials and Sodi, Blackhead Consulting, Diamond Hill and others,” the AFU said.

The suspects face over 60 charges which include corruption, fraud, money laundering in contravention of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act (POCA) as well as contravention of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).