[ad_1]
The ‘high crime levels’ observed during the R255 million asbestos audit investigation led to the Hawks being ‘caught’ – SIU
Special Investigation Unit (SIU) spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said Wednesday that when SIU investigators discovered the high levels of crime involved in the asbestos audit tender scandal, they decided it was necessary to “tie up” the Hawks. .
Kganyago was speaking with the SABC outside the offices of Blackhead Consulting, the controversial company owned by businessman Edwin Sodi where the Hawks were conducting a search and seizure operation.
Kganyago said the search and seizure helped uncover more information that could aid the ongoing investigation.
“This investigation started a long time ago … in 2019,” he said.
“When we started to see that there was a lot of crime involved, we rounded up the Hawks and the NPA to work with us to get to the bottom of this matter, and that’s what got us to where we are today,” he explained. .
The SIU investigates cases based on proclamations signed and published by the president.
President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Proclamation for the Investigation of the Free State Department of Human Settlements Affairs and the Asbestos Audit Bid in June 2019, and it was published the following month.
Kganyago said the arrests and charges were not based on the testimony of Sodi and others in the past days before the Zondo Commission was captured by the state.
He told the SABC that if any information provided to Zondo was relevant, it would be added to the charges at a later stage.
