National Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Andy Mothibi has delivered a strong warning to individuals benefiting from assets acquired through illegal means, emphasizing that the law will pursue them relentlessly.
The statement came during the official handover of recovered land to the Mahikeng Local Municipality on March 18, 2026. The handover involved properties linked to the an estate development company, which had been unlawfully sold more than a decade ago through acts of fraud, corruption, and violations of the Municipal Finance Management Act.
The land, originally earmarked for low-cost housing, public schools, and community amenities, was irregularly transferred from the municipality to private companies and trusts. Following years of legal proceedings by the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU), including multiple preservation orders, a final forfeiture order was granted on October 31, 2024, vesting the properties in the state. The recovered assets, valued at approximately R144 million, include 23 erven (portions of land) allocated to the municipality, along with unfinished residential blocks of flats and associated building materials.
Mothibi underscored the NPA’s commitment to reclaiming state assets for the benefit of communities and affected parties. “We’d like to send a clear warning that those who seek to enrich themselves through corruption and abuse of public trust will not escape the might of the law,” he said. He urged those in possession of stolen state assets, including land, to voluntarily return them, warning, “If you are in possession of a stolen state asset, stolen state land, volunteer. Take it back because we will be on your case.”
The Executive Mayor of Mahikeng Local Municipality highlighted the significance of the recovery in addressing the area’s severe accommodation crisis. The municipality faces challenges in providing housing for residents, government employees, and students from North-West University due to limited options. The mayor expressed hope that completing the stalled housing project would ease this pressure, noting that the incomplete structures had been delayed by legal processes and halted by the National Home Builders Regulation Council over non-compliance with safety requirements.
The Social Housing Regulatory Authority will now initiate a public process to invite expressions of interest from qualified businesses to revive the project. Officials aim to complete the award process within the next three to six months, followed by an 18- to 24-month construction timeline for the successful bidder. In parallel, assessments will ensure the structural integrity of the existing buildings, which have been exposed to weather damage and occupation by vagrants.
This handover represents a key step in the NPA’s broader efforts to combat corruption by recovering and returning misappropriated public resources to their rightful owners for community development.