Lobby group AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit says it will consider privately prosecuting African National Congress  Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula over his 2016 Dubai family holiday if the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) fails to do so.

AfriForum argues the NPA’s 2023 decision not to prosecute Mbalula was flawed, citing “irrational” conclusions and possible selective prosecution.

Mbalula’s trip, costing R685 000, is under scrutiny for alleged irregular cash payments and loans.

“We do anticipate the prospects of private prosecution if the NPA declines to prosecute. And the reason we are going through this process is so that we can exhaust all internal processes within the NPA before we make that decision. The difficulty in this case could be the fact that this is corruption; it could be a test case for us. Our argument would be that society is the victim and therefore society has a stake in ensuring private prosecution,” says spokesperson for AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit, Barry Bateman.

X POST | Mbalula released a statement refuting AfriForum’s claims

STATEMENT BY FIKILE MBALULA ON AFRIFORUM CLAIMS pic.twitter.com/EyTthkIniU

— ANC SECRETARY GENERAL | Fikile Mbalula (@MbalulaFikile) October 5, 2025