THE embattled former spokesperson for Mpumalanga premier David Mabuza, Mabutho Sithole, has appeared in the Nelspruit magistrate's court on corruption charges

He was not asked to plead to the charges and the matter was postponed to May 4 when he is expected to be given a regional court date while his R6,000 bail was extended.

Sithole is accused of bribing Mpumalanga-based City Press journalist Sizwe Sama Yende with a cash amount of R5,000 in December.

Sama Yende took the money to the Nelspruit police station who called in the provincial police's organised crime unit to investigate.

In his statement Sama Yende claimed Sithole was bribing him so he would not write a story implicating Mabuza in a "damning scandal".

The scandal related to a R230 million tender given to a top Mpumalanga businessman who was said to have been friends with Mabuza when he was MEC of the provincial agriculture department which awarded the tender in 2008.

Sithole was not immediately arrested after Sama Yende reported him and Captain Leonard Hlathi, said this was because the matter had been referred to the director of public prosecution for a decision on whether to prosecute.

Sithole was relieved of his duties as spokesperson and is now a director for community outreach services in the office of the premier.