The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has secured a High Court preservation order freezing a luxury Hartbeespoort property valued at about R6 million, linked to suspended Gauteng High Court Judge Portia Dipuo Phahlane in an alleged corruption and money laundering case.
The Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) obtained the order from the Gauteng Division of the High Court in Pretoria, placing the property under the control of a curator bonis pending final forfeiture proceedings. The order bars any sale, transfer, or dealing with the property while the legal process continues.
NPA spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said the move forms part of an ongoing prosecution before the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Pretoria, where six accused, including Judge Phahlane are facing corruption-related charges.
“The order, granted by the High Court of South Africa, preserves the property pending forfeiture,” Kganyago said. “It prohibits any person with knowledge of the order from selling or transferring the property and places it under the control of a curator bonis until the forfeiture proceedings are finalised.”
According to the NPA, the property was purchased in 2022 and is alleged to have been partly financed through proceeds of unlawful activities linked to a broader corruption scheme involving a church leadership dispute.
Kganyago said the State’s evidence suggests a corrupt arrangement between 2021 and 2022 involving church faction leader Bhekumzi Mike Sandlana, court interpreter Morongwa Malope, and Judge Phahlane, during which cash payments were allegedly made and discussions held about influencing pending litigation.
He added that financial records, sworn statements, and electronic evidence form part of the case underpinning the preservation application.
NPA National Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Andy Mothibi said the case reflects the institution’s commitment to tackling corruption within the justice system.
“No person is above the law, particularly those entrusted with positions of authority, integrity, and public confidence,” Mothibi said. “The justice system depends fundamentally on public trust.”
He added that the NPA would continue to pursue corruption cases wherever credible evidence exists, particularly where public institutions are implicated.
The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities indicating that further proceedings could follow as evidence is further tested in court.
