The legal action against the politically connected former Aurora Empowerment Systems directors has dragged on for more than eight years and looks set to continue, with the National Prosecuting Authority arguing that the group is guilty of five counts in terms of the National Water Act.
Three of the accused - Khulubuse Zuma, Zondwa Mandela and Thulani Ngubane - appeared briefly in the Springs Regional Court with their legal teams on Monday.
If they are found guilty by the court, the directors could face five years imprisonment, a fine and could be ordered to pay for remedial treatment, according to Sections 152 and 153 of the National Water Act.
The matter was postponed because the accused are opposed to the case being broadcast by 24-hour news channel eNCA.
Magistrate Nkhensani Moila will deliver her ruling on August 7.Zuma, the nephew of ex-president Jacob Zuma, was Aurora's former chair.
Mandela, late president Nelson Mandela’s grandson, was the mining group's ex-managing director. The fourth accused, former executive Raja Zainal Alam Shah, did not appear in court.
The case had already been postponed in May to try to locate him. He had promised to invest millions into running the costly gold mines and the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) claims he is in Malaysia.
The Pamodzi gold mines, in Grootvlei near Springs and in Orkney in the North West, came under Aurora’s control in 2009 after they had been placed under provisional liquidation. In bid letters Aurora claimed to have funding and experience in mining.
But the mines soon collapsed.
The four accused were blamed by trade unions for selling off the mine's equipment and failing to pay 5 300 workers their salaries, leaving thousands of dependents destitute.