One of the Western Cape’s largest alleged corruption and organised crime cases, charges against several accused, including alleged 28s gang leader Ralph Stanfield and former City of Cape Town housing official Malusi Booi, have been provisionally withdrawn. However, the case remains active, and core suspects are expected to face serious charges under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA) in the High Court.
Ralph Stanfield and his partner, businesswoman Nicole Johnson, appeared before the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court on Friday. The couple were informed that the commercial fraud charges against them—and a group of co-accused individuals—had been provisionally set aside as investigations continued to unfold.
“Police discovered new evidence during their investigation, and it is apposite at this stage to provisionally withdraw the 16 commercial charges against the accused pending the finalisation of the investigation stemming from the newfound evidence,”
said National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila.
“The State will reinstate the charges once the investigation has been finalised.”
The charges initially stemmed from a broader investigation into what has come to be widely referred to as the R1 billion “Construction Mafia” scandal—allegations involving fraudulent procurement tenders, intimidation, and links to gang-related activities.
Despite the provisional nature of the withdrawals, Ralph and Nicole Stanfield remain in custody. This is due to a separate set of criminal allegations linked to gang activities and several murders. These more severe charges include alleged breaches of the POCA.
Stanfield, along with Nicole, Johannes “Bal” Abrahams, Denver Booysen, and Jose Brand, had also faced earlier accusations involving an attempted murder and manhunt relating to a former employee who was suspected of stealing over R1 million from the Stanfield couple.
The State is building a more robust case involving charges tied to multiple homicides and gang-related crimes. Those set to be indicted in the Western Cape Division of the High Court include Ralph Stanfield, Nicole Johnson, Cloete, Pelston, Sedick, Dennis, Morris, McNabb, Essop, Cornelius, and Gardiner. The alleged crimes include the murders of Wendy Kloppers, Rashied Staggie, William Stevens, Faizel Adams, and Ismail Abrahams.
“Ralph, Nicole, Johannes, Booysen, Brandt, Cloete, Pelston, Sedick, Dennis, Morris, McNabb, Essop, Brandon Cornelius and Keithan Gardiner will be indicted in the Western Cape Division of the High Court on the gang-related offences for the alleged contravention of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act as well as the predicate offences thereto inter alia, the murders of Wendy Kloppers, Rashied Staggie, William Stevens, Faizel Adams and Ismail Abrahams.”
Notably, former public housing director Siphokazi September and Nicole’s mother Barbara Johnson were among those whose charges were provisionally dropped. Others released from immediate prosecution include Kyle Stanfield, Ralph’s brother; Manual; Amod; Mullins; Imgib; Mnyaka; Nondabula; and Ndoda.
The investigation’s expanding scope and the emergence of new evidence have made it clear that the case is far from resolved. With the complexity of the syndicate-style allegations, legal experts predict an extensive and potentially precedent-setting court process.
While the case continues to draw attention due to its magnitude and the profile of the accused, some individuals have already taken to social media to express relief. Among them was former city councillor Malusi Booi, who was initially implicated in the scandal.
Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Booi expressed gratitude for the support he had received:
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank my 84-year-old mother, my ancestors, my partner, my entire family, friends, Nitta & crew, Manxasana & crew for their unwavering support & belief in my innocence!”
Although Booi’s charges have also been provisionally withdrawn, he remains a person of interest as authorities continue probing connections between local government structures and underworld-linked entities.
The case illustrates a broader concern among officials and the public regarding alleged collusion between organised crime figures and state structures, particularly in the lucrative construction and housing development sectors.
As attention turns to the High Court proceedings and the next phases of the investigation, South Africans are left grappling with questions about how deep the ties between crime, politics, and business may run—and what systemic reforms may be necessary to prevent such alleged corruption in the future.
The provisional withdrawals have given temporary reprieve to some, but they also signal that the legal system is preparing for a larger, more consolidated prosecution. With new evidence emerging, the full scope of the alleged criminal enterprise has yet to be publicly revealed.
