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Seven suspects charged with looting the Free State government of up to 255 million rand were granted bail in Bloemfontein Magistrates Court on Friday. Meanwhile, the Hawks arrested a senior official in the KwaZulu-Natal prime minister’s office, and a prominent businessman, Thoshan Panday, was also arrested in a separate case. More high-profile arrests are expected as authorities finally act on a series of corruption allegations.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) plans to make further arrests regarding the R255 million allegedly defrauded to the Free State government through an irregular asbestos audit agreement as authorities continue to act this week on a variety of accusations of high-profile corruption.
Seven defendants were released on bail, ranging from R50,000 to R500,000, in Bloemfontein Magistrates Court on Friday after they were charged with more than 60 counts of fraud, theft, corruption and money laundering. money in connection with an irregular contract awarded in 2014 to Blackhead Consulting and Diamond Hill Trading.
On the dock were: the head of Blackhead, Edwin Sodi, the head of the Free State human settlements department, Nthimotse Mokhesi, the businessman Seal Radebe, the former director general of the national department of human settlements Thabane Zulu, the former provincial MEC settlement agency Sarah “Olly” Mlamleli, the Free State Managing Director of Human Settlements Supply Chain Mahlamola Matlakela and businessman Abel Manyeki.
The companies, tasked with identifying and removing asbestos from homes in the Free State, only carried out jobs worth 21 million rand while being paid 30 million rand.
Sodi has gone to court to claim another 25 million rand. The State Capture Inquiry has heard how Free State residents continue to live in homes with dangerous asbestos fibers.
“The acquisition process was carried out in a fraudulent and corrupt manner. Additionally, certain public officials received bonuses from the company and / or an individual for various corruption charges involving more than R2 million, ”NPA spokesperson Sipho Ngwema said in a statement.
According to reports, the protesters, supporting or condemning the accused, demonstrated outside the court. Some supporters claimed that the charges against Mlamleli were politically motivated.
Mlamleli, who was removed as mayor of Mangaung in a vote of no confidence in August, chairs the ANC Women’s League in Free State. She is also a member of the provincial executive committee of the party.
Hangwani Malaudzi, a spokesman for the DPCI, better known as the Hawks, suggested on SAfm that there would be more arrests in the case. He declined to comment on whether the Hawks were targeting high-level politicians.
Former Prime Minister of the Free State and current Secretary General of the ANC, Ace Magashule, has been involved in the dodgy asbestos removal deal. He has denied the accusations.
Friday’s court hearing came after former ANC MP Vincent Smith pleaded not guilty in cut this week on charges of fraud and corruption related to the benefits he received from Bosasa, implicated in a wide range of state capture claims.
Authorities appear to be acting on long-standing corruption allegations and have made a large number of arrests in various cases across the country, with more expected.
According to BusinessLive, former President Jacob Zuma’s ally Thoshan Panday has been charged with fraud, corruption and forgery in connection with R47 million in tenders he received to provide accommodation for SAPS members during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He is charged alongside with former KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Mmamonye Ngobeni.
NPA Investigation Directorate spokesperson Sindiswa Twala confirmed to the Daily Maverick that Panday had been charged and was due to appear before the Durban Magistrates Court on Friday afternoon.
On Friday, the Hawks made four more arrests, including an official in the Kwa-Zulu-Natal prime minister’s office, Sihle Zikalala, and three service providers, in connection with a 20 million rand catering contract.
Hawks KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson Simphiwe Mhlongo told EWN that the suspects “were colluding with officials in the prime minister’s office and they were making offers with each other and were not following proper processes.”
Mail and tutor reported on Friday the Hawks also plan to arrest Limpopo-based ANC politicians in connection with the looting of VBS Mutual Bank.
As the network reaches out to senior ANC politicians and their associates in the business sector, the party will hold a lekgotla of the national executive committee this weekend.
The meeting is scheduled to discuss the economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the corruption allegations and subsequent arrests, as well as the party’s resolution that members facing charges should step aside from their official duties, are likely to be significant. DM
