Suspended IDT CEO’s trust: It was “a trap, not a bribe”

Amid rising public scrutiny over alleged bribery attempts, The Malaka Family Trust has strongly defended Tebogo Malaka, the suspended CEO of the Independent Development Trust (IDT).

The Trust claims that the accusations are “not grounded in truth” and view them as part of a deliberate political campaign.

The controversy stems from a bombshell report published by Daily Maverick, which shows video of Malaka and IDT spokesperson Phasha Makgolane offering investigative journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh R60,000 in cash.

This money was allegedly an attempt to suppress reporting on irregular property deals and questionable tenders during Malaka’s tenure at the IDT, a state-owned entity that manages approximately R4 billion annually for schools and clinics.

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has since laid criminal charges against both Malaka and Makgolane.

In the Daily Maverick report, Malaka was recorded saying, “I just want to close this chapter. It’s too much. I have kids, I have parents, my parents are old, they were sick, they couldn’t sleep over the last weekend. It’s bad.”

“I want it closed. I don’t want you to be writing about it,” prior to cash being placed on the table by the spokesperson.

Myburgh’s ongoing work since 2024 has highlighted concerns that the IDT’s budget is being wasted through “dodgy tenders and skimming,” which ultimately led to Malaka’s suspension.

However, The Malaka Family Trust paints a drastically different picture, asserting that the incident was “a trap, not a bribe.”

“Not a bribe,” claims the Trust

In a recently published statement, the Trust said that “Malaka did not offer a bribe, did not suggest one, and did not take out or authorise any money. The cash in question was produced by the IDT spokesperson, not Malaka.”

The Trust said that Malaka “did not invite the journalist, did not know him prior to the meeting, and did not select the venue or arrange the setup”.

They contend that the entire scenario “was a trap-engineered by others and designed to entrap her”.

“Who set up the hidden cameras, and why? The public deserves to know who orchestrated this recording and whether it was done legally, ethically, or as part of a political operation”.

Legally, The Malaka Family Trust argues that the concept of “intention to bribe” does not exist as an offense.

“In law, there is no such offence as ‘intending’ to bribe – especially when no offer was made, no agreement was reached, and no money changed hands,” the statement reads.

They dismiss the published video as manipulated evidence, claiming, “edited video and innuendo are not evidence. They are tactics of defamation”.

Furthermore, the Trust alleges that Ms. Malaka’s “real offence” is “her refusal to submit to political pressure”.

They said that there are well-documented clashes between Malaka and Minister Macpherson, claiming it is “no coincidence that this manufactured scandal emerges in the midst of that power struggle”.

The Trust has called for a comprehensive investigation into what they describe as political interference and media collusion.

They demand that “allegations of coordination between the journalist and the Minister must now be taken seriously.”

The Malaka Family Trust has made several demands, including:

• The full, unedited release of the video footage
• Disclosure of all communications between the journalist and IDT officials
• An independent inquiry into political interference and media collusion
• A full investigation into who installed the cameras and under what authority

“Ms. Malaka is being vilified not for wrongdoing, but for standing her ground. She deserves due process – not public trial by edited video and political theatre,” said the Trust.