The Special Investigating Unit (SIU), together with the South African Police Service and the Hawks, have conducted a search and seizure at the Dawid Kruiper Municipality in the Northern Cape.

This is in relation to a proclamation authorising the unit to investigate allegations of serious maladministration at the municipality related to the awarding of 24 contracts.

‘The SIU and Hawks collected all payment documentation, which included confirmation of goods/services received, requisition forms, purchase orders, remittance advice, payment vouchers, reconciliation reports, monthly statements from service providers, and deviation forms captured from 1 January 2010 to September 2024, as stipulated in Proclamation 185 of 2024.

‘Furthermore, the SIU has collected electronic items such as laptops, computers, mobile devices, optical media (DVD/CD), audio recorders, computer data storage mediums, external hard drives, memory sticks, and cards,’ the SIU said.

On Thursday, the Upington Magistrate’s Court granted the
corruption-busting unit a warrant to search for evidence at the municipality.

‘The SIU has a reason to believe that a normal route of requesting information and documents would not have yielded positive results, hence it was deemed necessary to approach the Upington Magistrate Court for a search warrant to seize documents and computers to assist with the ongoing investigation.

‘The Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act 74 of 1996 (SIU Act) empowers the SIU to subpoena bank statements and cell phone records, search and seize evidence, and interrogate witnesses under oath to investigate allegations brought before it thoroughly,’ the unit said.

Source: South African Government News Agency