On Wednesday, authorities detained the former acting head of the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements for allegedly accepting R7 million in payments fraudulently from a supplier for the Free State government’s asbestos project.
The Hawks made this announcement in a statement on Wednesday.
The 56-year-old suspect was detained in Alberton, Gauteng, by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team, which is based in Bloemfontein, according to Captain Christopher Singo.
He said: “It is alleged that the Free State Department of Human Settlement gave an erroneous contract to a service provider for the removal of asbestos roofs between the years of 2014 and 2017.
“The suspect authorised the same service provider irregularly in Gauteng while serving as the Acting Head of Department for the Human Settlements Department in Gauteng.
The service provider then sent her money totaling more than R7 million in fraud.
He claimed that after the matter was brought to the attention of the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Inquiry Unit, further investigation led to the suspect’s detention.
“In the asbestos case, 12 other suspects, including 5 corporations, have already been detained.
On Thursday, July 21, 2022, the suspect is scheduled to appear before the Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court, while the other twelve defendants are scheduled to do so on September 23, 2022, according to him.