Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts Named in Unsigned Affidavit — NHI Lease Deal Claims Hang Unverified

An unsigned draft affidavit circulating within South African legal circles has drawn Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts into a major political corruption debate. The document attempts to connect her to alleged government building lease arrangements linked to National Health Insurance contract opportunities.

The claims originate from Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, a Johannesburg businessman who is currently facing separate, unrelated criminal charges. According to the draft document, Matlala alleges that Swarts promised to help secure government building leases for his company during her previous tenure as Deputy Minister of Public Works. He contends that these real estate deals were intended to give his firm a strategic advantage in securing lucrative procurement contracts under the expanding healthcare framework. The draft further asserts that third-party intermediaries managed cash transfers related to these arrangements.

Swarts has forcefully rejected all the allegations, denying any connection to the businessman or the transactions. She stated publicly that she has never met Matlala and never offered any assistance with building leases during her time at Public Works. Swarts, an African National Congress Member of Parliament who has served in the National Assembly since 2019, currently holds the position of Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, a role she assumed in July 2024. She dismissed the accusations as entirely false and without foundation.

The credibility of the draft document remains a central point of contention for legal experts and political observers. Matlala’s legal representatives circulated the affidavit without a formal signature or sworn oath,rendering it procedurally incomplete. Under South African law, court proceedings require fully authenticated and sworn declarations before any claims can be admitted as valid evidence. Reporters who inspected the physical document noted that the final page features an empty signature line above Matlala’s printed name,emphasizing its current lack of legal standing.

Supporters of Swarts argue that the timing of the unsigned document’s sudden emergence raises significant questions about the motives behind its distribution. At this stage, it remains uncertain whether prosecutors will ever require Matlala to sign, swear to, and formally submit these statements before a magistrate. Until official legal steps are taken to verify or dismiss the document, the situation continues to generate public debate surrounding oversight and transparency in government contracting.

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