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What is this person’s legal position?

What is Ace Magashule’s legal position?

Ace Magashule

South African politician, former Premier of the Free State and former ANC Secretary-General, now leader of the African Congress for Transformation (ACT), who is on trial in the R255 million Free State asbestos audit tender case.

Most recent filing 20 Aug 2026Last confirmed 26 Oct 20269 sources

  1. Question

    What is Ace Magashule’s legal position?

  2. Present position

    ChargedPresent position

    Magashule is an accused person awaiting the start of evidence in the Free State High Court; he has pleaded not guilty and the trial is set to resume on 18 January 2027.

  3. Detail

    Free State asbestos audit tender prosecution (R255m)

    Charged

    Magashule is an accused person awaiting the start of evidence in the Free State High Court; he has pleaded not guilty and the trial is set to resume on 18 January 2027.1 2 3 4 5 6

    Authority
    Free State Division of the High Court, Bloemfontein (Judge Phillip Loubser); prosecuted by the NPA
    Status as of
    18 Aug 2026
    History
    1. 13 Nov 2020Handed himself in and appeared in Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court on 21 counts of corruption and fraud; granted R200,000 bail.
    2. 2 May 2023Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed an application by Magashule, Edwin Sodi and Thabane Zulu for leave to appeal a 2022 High Court judgment (Judge Soma Naidoo) that had dismissed their challenge to the prosecution.
    3. 16 Apr 2025Pleaded not guilty in the Free State High Court; listed as accused 13 of 18.
    4. 3 Jun 2025Trial court upheld co-accused Moroadi Cholota's special plea on jurisdiction; trial postponed to January 2026.
    5. 23 Jan 2026Constitutional Court ([2026] ZACC 03, CCT 190/25) upheld the State's appeal in the Cholota matter, finding the High Court erred in declining to exercise jurisdiction over her.
    6. 18 Feb 2026Judge Loubser dismissed Cholota's special plea, ruling she stands trial with Magashule and the other accused.
    7. 18 Aug 2026Trial postponed to 18 January 2027.

    Challenge to ANC suspension under the step-aside rule

    Closed

    His challenge to the ANC suspension ended when the Constitutional Court refused leave to appeal in August 2022.7

    Authority
    High Court (Johannesburg); Supreme Court of Appeal; Constitutional Court
    Status as of
    Aug 2022
    History
    1. May 2021Suspended by the ANC under its step-aside rule.
    2. Sep 2021High Court dismissed his application for leave to appeal against the ruling upholding his suspension.
    3. Jan 2022Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed his application for leave to appeal.
    4. Aug 2022Constitutional Court refused leave to appeal, finding no reasonable prospects of success, with costs.

  4. Authorities cited

    1. PrimaryDirector of Public Prosecutions, Johannesburg and Another v Jonathan Schultz and Others; Director of Public Prosecutions, Bloemfontein v Nomalanga Moroadi Selina Cholota (CCT 280/24; CCT 190/25) [2026] ZACC 03Constitutional Court of South Africa · 23 Jan 2026
    2. Secondary'It's really waste of time': Magashule frustrated as asbestos case stallsOFM · 20 Aug 2026
    3. SecondaryMagashule's bid to have charges dropped dealt a blowOFM · 3 May 2023
    4. SecondaryCorruption-accused Ace Magashule pleads not guilty: 'I'm ready now'Eyewitness News · 16 Apr 2025
    5. Secondary'Nothing I can do about it,' Judge tells Magashule as Free State asbestos trial postponed againThe Citizen · 4 Jun 2025
    6. SecondaryCourt orders Moroadi Cholota to stand trial with Magashule in R255m asbestos caseDaily Maverick · 18 Feb 2026
    7. SecondaryAce Magashule loses ConCourt bid to appeal ANC suspensionPolity · 11 Aug 2022

See also: Public Figure Record Verified

Revision note

26 Oct 2026 Published after review.

Something wrong? Tell the editors, with a source. Identifier ace-magashule.