A senior member of the KwaZulu-Natal Office of the Premier has been detained by the Hawks in connection with R37 million in procurement irregularities at the Mhlathuze Water Board.
Along with her 47-year-old accomplice, the 58-year-old was taken into custody at her residence.
The Hawks said in a statement that the arrests were the result of a thorough investigation.
They were taken into custody following an operation by the Serious Commercial Crime Investigation’s National Clean Audit Task Team.
According to Brigadier Thandi Mbambo, a spokesman for the Hawks, the two were detained on suspicion of intimidating and subverting the course of justice.
According to Mbambo, “the chairperson of the Mhlathuze Water Board of KwaZulu-Natal reported allegations of irregular appointment of service providers (legal panel) without adhering to the Mhlathuze Water Board’s Supply Chain Management protocols, as well as contravention of section 51(1) of the Public Finance Management Act, Act 1 of 1999, by failing to comply with the operational policies of the public entity.”
Investigations, according to Mbambo, have shown that certain top officials are responsible for the anomalies that caused the Mhlathuze Water Board of Kwazulu-Natal to suffer a loss of +/- R37 million.
The Chairperson of the Mhlathuze Water Board allegedly received a visit from an unidentified person at her home after the investigation and compilation of the forensic report, who claimed to be from the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and to have been sent by the Senior Manager in the Premier’s Office.
“The accused offender requested the forensic report and threatened to arrest the chairwoman. Additionally, he requested that the complaint end the probe, she alleged.
The claimed individual was subsequently shown to not be from the NIA and to have been working closely with people of interest who were being investigated.
According to Mbambo, the investigation is still continuing, but two other persons who were connected to the wrongdoing at the bulk water provider Mhlathuze Water have already been detained on suspicion of corruption, fraud, and money laundering.
All those detained are anticipated to show up before the Durban Magistrate court shortly.