The former deputy among seven arrested in a 27 million rand tender corruption scandal

Seven people, including a former Member of Parliament, were arrested by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit in Gauteng on Wednesday. The arrests are linked to a corruption scandal involving a R27-million tender awarded by the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD) in 2016.

The tender, which was awarded to a company called Enviro-Mobi in March 2017, aimed to integrate informal waste operators into the waste management economy. According to Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Thandi Mbambo, the contract stipulated that payments would only be made when 50% of the work was completed and no advance payments were allowed.

However, investigations by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) revealed significant irregularities. GDARD’s chief executive officer and chief financial officer allegedly processed payments of R25 million to Enviro-Mobi for 200 motorized three-wheelers, even though the goods remained in the service provider’s possession and had not been delivered to the department.

The suspects, whose names have not been released, are expected to face a variety of charges including fraud, theft and violations of both the Public Finance Management Act and the Organized Crime Prevention Act.

This arrest follows the SIU’s forensic report, which uncovered the extent of alleged corruption within GDARD. The case highlights South Africa’s ongoing efforts to curb tender-related corruption, a persistent problem within various government departments. Those arrested are expected to appear in court soon, with further court proceedings to follow.

This case is one of several high-profile investigations carried out by the Hawks as part of their wider mandate to combat corruption and financial crime across the country. Authorities have stressed that more arrests could follow as investigations continue.