SIU welcomes the arrest of Mpumalanga COGTA Head of Department (HOD)
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) welcomes the arrest of a top Mpumalanga Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) official over personal protective equipment (PPE) fraud and corruption amounting to R5.9 million.
Head of the Department, Samkelo Ngubane, was arrested on Monday by the Hawks in Mbombela. Ngubane appeared at the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on charges of contravening sections of the Public Finance Management Act. He was released on R10 000 bail and the matter was postponed to 28 July 2022 for further investigation.
Ngubane joins his co-accused Cogta Deputy Director Raymond Manzini, his brother Chris Manzini and director of Gatjeni Ndlovu Trading Moses Ndlovu in the matter.
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.
SIU investigation further revealed that Chris Manzini, also approached his brother Raymond Manzini, who is a government official, to provide funding for the purchase and delivery of PPE. Raymond Manzini allegedly purchased PPE items from companies that are registered to do business with government and resold the items to the department at inflated prices, in 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 offense to the National Prosecuting Authority for further action. The prosecution of the 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.
Fraud and corruption allegations may be reported via the following platforms: [email protected](link sends e-mail) / Hotline: 0800 037 774.
Source: Government of South Africa