Former African National Congress (ANC) secretary general Ace Magashule has thrown down the gauntlet to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), saying they must give him his day in court and stop fabricating charges against him.

An upset Magashule accused the prosecuting authority of delaying tactics and demanded a trial, adding he wanted an acquittal rather than the withdrawal of his case.

The former Free State premier spoke to the media at the Bloemfontein High Court after his R255 million asbestos case was again postponed to January 2026.

Magashule, out on R200 000 bail, faces 21 charges of fraud and corruption. He once more accused the NPA, led by National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Shamila Batohi, of pursuing a politically motivated case against him.

“We want to show that we are innocent. We want to show that we have cooperated with the State. They can’t come here and waste our time and postpone and postpone. We also have our own commitments. Next year is the election year. The campaign must actually start,” Magashule said.

“It’s not about the state all the time. They know that they don’t have a case. They are trying to cook, cook, cook and cook. But we will ultimately expose them. That’s why we say we are ready. The intention is to break us. The intention is to demoralise our people. The intention was to deal with our political careers. The intention was to disrupt us, and unfortunately we are resolute,” he added.

NPA spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga said the authority requested a postponement to study the Cholota judgment with a view to appealing it. He said they wanted to try her alongside Magashule and others.

“It’s always desirable to have an integrated approach to criminal matters-it is costly and quite tricky for witnesses to be called twice in respect of the same issues so that was also taken into account when we engaged with our prosecution team, and we are supportive of the approach that has taken,” said Mhaga.

In 2020, the NPA charged Magashule, his former personal assistant Moroadi Cholota and others for their alleged crimes in the awarding of a multimillion rand contract for the replacement of asbestos roofs in the Free State.

It also pushed for Chikota’s extradition from the US where she was studying.

However, in a dramatic twist on Monday, Bloemfontein High Court ruled that Cholota’s extradition was illegal and set her free.

Judge Phillip Loubster commented that the trial could not go past the end of the second term of 2026.

“This trial cannot go beyond for the next 10 years, I will not allow it. So we will have to make amends where necessary”, said Loubster.

But Magashule said the NPA’s case against Cholota won’t stick even if they reinstated charges against her.

“I am upset because people perceive us as corrupt,” Magashule said.