Johannesburg - Raymond Manzini, 45, the deputy director of Disaster Management under Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), Chris Manzini, 33, and Moses Ndlovu, 61, appeared before the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
The trio appeared after they were arrested by the Hawks’ Nelspruit-based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit for Fraud and the Contravention of the Public Finance Management Act.
Their arrest follows an investigation related to a tender that was advertised by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) for the supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
The tender was awarded to a company belonging to Moses Ndlovu who is a personal friend of the deputy director, Raymond Manzini.
It had been found that Moses Ndlovu and his company Zalabantu Estate Trust were appointed unlawfully with the undue influence of the deputy director.
After the appointment was made, Ndlovu did not have the capacity or the resources to fulfil the tender requirements and subsequently received financial assistance from Manzini, the Hawks said.
Once the required PPE was delivered, Ndlovu invoiced the department and then repaid Manzini by depositing R6 million into the account of deputy director Manzini’s younger brother, Chris Manzini.
The investigation linked the three and the company with the alleged fraud and the matter was brought before the court.
Warrants for their arrest were executed, leading to their appearance in court.
The court granted the three accused and company, Zalabantu Estate Trust bail of 15 000 each, and the case has been postponed to July 28, 2022 for further investigation.
The possibility of further arrests in the matter has not been ruled out.
Major General Zodwa Mokoena, Mpumalanga head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, has reassured members of the public.
“As the Hawks, we shall not keep quiet when the state resources are being misused,” she said.
Mokoena further warned government employees to follow the correct procurement procedures to avoid getting caught on the wrong side of the law.
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