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By IOL Reporter 
2h ago
Durban – Ethekwini City Manager Sipho Nzuza has been arrested by the Hawks National Clean Audit Task Force for allegedly violating his bail conditions.
Nzuza, who is out on bail of 50,000 rand in connection with a multi-million rand bidding waste scandal, is expected to appear in Durban’s Commercial Crimes Court on Monday afternoon.
Nzuza was arrested on March 10, 2020 by the Hawks National Clean Audit Task Force, which has been appointed to investigate various allegations of fraud and corruption amounting to the loss of millions of rands within the eThekwini municipality.
Nzuza is one of 16 indicted individuals including former eThekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede who has been arrested and charged in connection with a Durban Solid Waste (DSW) tender costing more than R430 million.
According to the Hawks, the conditions of Nzuza’s bond specifically stated that he could not:
Contact or communicate in any way, either directly or indirectly, with witnesses related to the DSW – Ethekwini Tender audit trail.
Refrain from getting involved in the disciplinary processes of the officials charged in relation to this investigation;
Not participate directly or influence any bidding process during the duration of the investigation, and also that their powers as an Accountant in relation to bidding processes must be delegated in the terms of article 79 read with 77, article 106 of the MFMA 56 DE 2003.
Hawks spokesman Colonel Katlego Mogale said that the National Clean Audit Task Force deployed to KwaZulu Natal realized that Nzuza had been placed on special leave by the Ethekwini Municipality and that upon returning from leave, He participated in certain actions that were in the bridge of his bail conditions.
“The team immediately launched investigations into this matter which amounted to conduct that clearly indicated that Nzuza violated the conditions of bail granted to him. The preferred positions at this stage related to the matter are fraud, money laundering, infraction of the Municipal Finance Management Law, infraction of the Prevention and Fight against Corruption Law, the Organized Crime Prevention Law and contravention of the Municipal Law of Local Government. ,” she said.
Earlier this month, the Daily News reported that eThekwini’s supply chain management award letters and bid award committee decisions were signed by Nzuza in direct contravention of his bond conditions.
The Daily News has seen more than 10 of the documents that Nzuza has signed and they have a combined bid value of more than R40 million.
The documents, signed between October 20 and 21, more than a week ago, sought various services, including restoration of property titles, construction of a concrete slab for additional parking lots on top of the Stanvac Canal, the completion of a swimming pool on Umgababa beach, and forensic investigations and design, supply, delivery and installation of tall masts.
Daily News
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