The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has welcomed the arrest by the Hawks of three government employees in Mpumalanga along with three service providers in relation to Covid-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) corruption.
In a media statement on Monday, SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said the employees from the Mpumalanga department of public works, roads and transport were arrested for fraud, corruption and money laundering related to PPEs.
Kganyago said the three suppliers won the tender in question.
The employees implicated are Bandile Jacob Ngcobo, who is employed as a state accountant in the area of property and facility; Sipho Ronny Monareng, an acting chief director in the department of immovable assets management; and Macdonald Buko Sigudla, a deputy director for facilities.
The service providers arrested are Tshidi Susan Sedibe, the sole director of Superia Services Trading (Pty) Ltd, Anthony Mashego of Maganeleni Trading and Projects (Pty) Ltd, and Whisky Khumalo of Makhula Span Trading (Pty) Ltd.
Superia was contracted to render fumigation-related services at the department, Maganeleni to render PPE and fumigation-related services, while Makhula Span was contracted to provide PPE-related services.
All six accused appeared in the Nelspruit magistrate’s court on Wednesday last week and were released on bail of R10,000 each. The matter will return to court on November 2.
Kganyago said the SIU investigations uncovered evidence of fraud, corruption and money laundering between the officials and service providers amounting to approximately R1.3m.
“As the SIU sifted through bank records, the probe found that Maganeleni made numerous potentially corrupt payments to Monareng, and Superia also made numerous potentially corrupt payments to Sigudla. The bank records also indicate that Superia made numerous potentially corrupt payments to Ngcobo,” said Kganyago.
He said their investigation also found that there was fraudulent invoicing for services not rendered and inflation of kilometres claimed.
“In an instance where service providers were contracted to do fumigations, there was fraudulent inflation of square metres claimed, which resulted in the department paying more than what it should have.
“In line with the Special Investigating Unit and Special Tribunals Act 74 of 1996, the SIU referred evidence pointing to a criminal conduct to the National Prosecuting Authority. The six were charged with giving a benefit or accepting a benefit, which is a corruption charge. They were also charged with money laundering and fraud,” said Kganyago.
kokam@sowetan.co.za
SIU welcomes the arrest of six PPE fraud suspects
Three government employees, three service providers busted
Image: 123RF/Oksana Smyshliaeva
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has welcomed the arrest by the Hawks of three government employees in Mpumalanga along with three service providers in relation to Covid-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) corruption.
In a media statement on Monday, SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said the employees from the Mpumalanga department of public works, roads and transport were arrested for fraud, corruption and money laundering related to PPEs.
Kganyago said the three suppliers won the tender in question.
The employees implicated are Bandile Jacob Ngcobo, who is employed as a state accountant in the area of property and facility; Sipho Ronny Monareng, an acting chief director in the department of immovable assets management; and Macdonald Buko Sigudla, a deputy director for facilities.
The service providers arrested are Tshidi Susan Sedibe, the sole director of Superia Services Trading (Pty) Ltd, Anthony Mashego of Maganeleni Trading and Projects (Pty) Ltd, and Whisky Khumalo of Makhula Span Trading (Pty) Ltd.
Superia was contracted to render fumigation-related services at the department, Maganeleni to render PPE and fumigation-related services, while Makhula Span was contracted to provide PPE-related services.
All six accused appeared in the Nelspruit magistrate’s court on Wednesday last week and were released on bail of R10,000 each. The matter will return to court on November 2.
Kganyago said the SIU investigations uncovered evidence of fraud, corruption and money laundering between the officials and service providers amounting to approximately R1.3m.
“As the SIU sifted through bank records, the probe found that Maganeleni made numerous potentially corrupt payments to Monareng, and Superia also made numerous potentially corrupt payments to Sigudla. The bank records also indicate that Superia made numerous potentially corrupt payments to Ngcobo,” said Kganyago.
He said their investigation also found that there was fraudulent invoicing for services not rendered and inflation of kilometres claimed.
“In an instance where service providers were contracted to do fumigations, there was fraudulent inflation of square metres claimed, which resulted in the department paying more than what it should have.
“In line with the Special Investigating Unit and Special Tribunals Act 74 of 1996, the SIU referred evidence pointing to a criminal conduct to the National Prosecuting Authority. The six were charged with giving a benefit or accepting a benefit, which is a corruption charge. They were also charged with money laundering and fraud,” said Kganyago.
kokam@sowetan.co.za
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