Johannesburg – The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has welcomed the arrest of the head of the Mpumalanga Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), Samkelo Ngubane, by the Hawks in Mbombela on Monday.
Ngubane was arrested over alleged personal protective equipment (PPE) fraud and corruption amounting to R5.9 million.
Ngubane joins his co-accused, Cogta deputy director Raymond Manzini, his brother Chris Manzini, and director of Gatjeni Ndlovu Trading Moses Ndlovu.
Ngubane appeared in court on Wednesday on charges of contravening sections of the Public Finance Management Act. The matter was postponed to July 28 for further investigation. Ngubane has since been released on R10 000 bail.
SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said: “The arrest of Ndlovu follows an intensive SIU investigation in the Cogta department, which revealed that Gatjeni Ndlovu Trading was solely requested to quote for the supply and delivery of PPE in March 2020.
“However, after the PPE contract was awarded Ndlovu approached Chris Manzini to take over the purchase without the approval of the department.”
Investigations by the SIU revealed that Chris Manzini was approached by his brother Raymond, a government official, to provide funding for the purchase and delivery of PPE.
The investigations also revealed that Raymond allegedly purchased PPE items from companies that were registered to do business with the government and sold the items back to the government at higher prices, which is said to be in contravention of the Provisions of Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act 12 of 2004.
Kganyago said: “Gatjeni Ndlovu Trading handed an invoice to Raymond Manzini, the financial provider, for the department to effect payment. Immediately after payment was received, a significant sum of money was transferred to Raymond Manzini’s bank account.”
“In line with the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act 74 of 1996, the SIU referred evidence pointing to the commission of a criminal offence to the National Prosecuting Authority for further action, he added.
“The prosecution of Ngubane and his co-accused is a continuation of the implementation of the SIU investigation outcomes and consequence management to recover assets and financial losses suffered by state institutions and/or to prevent further losses.”
IOL