Deputy President David Mabuza’s former messenger, Jan Venter, has reportedly claimed that Mabuza paid him R2.5 million to allegedly do his dirty work, lie under oath against Mathews Phosa, and for years move money and guns around.

Venter told IOL that Mabuza had asked him to claim that he had seen Phosa draft a spy report against the deputy president and that he, Venter, did lie about this because Mabuza had asked him to do so.

Venter further said he was not at all innocent but was as guilty as Mabuza.

“That’s why I drove to the Hawks. I thought it was much safer for me being in jail than being outside here,” he was quoted as saying.

He reportedly said he had in the past on many occasions dropped off bags of money which at times had guns inside.

“I don’t know how many times I might have been the reason for somebody being killed,” Venter told the publication.

IOL reports that Venter said the R2.5 million was paid to him in monthly tranches between R40,000 and R100,000.

Last year, the two reportedly had a fallout.

In May 2018, Venter reportedly laid charges of corruption, bribery and money laundering against Mabuza.

The publication reported that Venter, however, denied that he laid the charges against the deputy president as a way of settling scores and after being asked by others.

Venter told IOL that he laid the charges against Mabuza because he wanted the truth about the former premier of Mpumalanga to be known.

Venter reportedly said he approached the Hawks two years ago because he wanted to hand himself over, and not to cut a deal, for allegedly committing criminal activities with the deputy president and because he wanted to repent and get God’s forgiveness.

The publication reports that on examination, the Hawks confirmed that a case of corruption and money laundering is being investigated but would not reveal who the main suspect was.

The deputy president’s spokesperson, Thamsanqa Ngwenya, told the publication that the matter had been in court where doubt was raised about Venter’s credibility and evidence.

Venter was quoted as saying that he had received a call from Mabuza which lasted 18 minutes and that during the telephone conversation, the deputy president allegedly tried to convince him, Venter, promising him a house and car and money, to withdraw the case.

“If you are not guilty, will you promise a person all this? He said as friends, I would buy you anything you want. Just withdraw the charges,” he was quoted as saying.

(Compiled by Makhosandile Zulu)

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