News24 | KZN Jazz Festival corruption case: Supreme Court to give State an ear

The Supreme Court of Appeal has revived the State’s bid to appeal the acquittal of former ANC provincial deputy Mike Mabuyakhulu and others in the 2012 jazz festival corruption case.

• The SCA has instructed that the State’s application for special leave to appeal the dismissal of the controversial KZN Jazz Festival corruption case be reconsidered.
• The case involves former ANC provincial deputy chairperson Mike Mabuyakhulu and 15 others, who faced charges related to irregular payments and kickbacks from a failed R28.5 million festival in 2012.
• In May 2023, Judge Mahendra Chetty found that the State failed in leading evidence of financial transactions. The State then applied for special leave to appeal before the KwaZulu-Natal High Court, but it was dismissed.

The Supreme Court of Appeal has ordered that the decision of the KwaZulu-Natal High Court, dismissing the State’s application for special leave to appeal the acquittal of prominent politicians and officials implicated in the controversial KZN Jazz Festival corruption case, be referred to it for reconsideration.

The case centres on allegations of irregular payments and kickbacks tied to the failed North Sea Jazz Festival of 2012, involving former ANC provincial deputy chairperson Mike Mabuyakhulu and 15 others who were acquitted earlier in 2023 due to insufficient evidence.

The State alleged at the time, that service providers were irregularly paid while the politicians and government officials involved received kickbacks.

Mabuyakhulu was KwaZulu-Natal’s MEC for economic development, tourism and environmental affairs at the time.

In May 2023, Judge Mahendra Chetty found that the State failed in leading evidence of financial transactions.

READ | ANC KZN heavyweight Mike Mabuyakhulu acquitted of corruption charges

The State then applied for special leave to appeal before the KwaZulu-Natal High Court, but it was dismissed.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority, the SCA on 11 July 2025 instructed that the matter be reconsidered and that arguments, including on the merits of the case, be heard if required.

“The NPA welcomes the opportunity to argue its case before the SCA that the honourable Judge Mahendra Chetty erred in law in discharging the accused, that there are reasonable prospects of success on appeal, and that there are compelling reasons for the appeal to be heard by the SCA,” said NPA spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara.

“Prosecutors will continue to vigorously challenge any decision considered to be wrong in law using available legal remedies.”