SIU raids Matlosana Municipality in NW over PPE corruption

SIU raids Matlosana Municipality in NW over PPE corruption

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has raided the offices of the Matlosana Local Municipality in Klerksdorp in North West as part of its investigation into Covid-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) procurement corruption.

Mask, hand sanitizer COVID-19
Face masks and hand-sanitizer/ iStock

The unit swooped on the municipality on Friday morning after it obtained a search and seizure warrant from a magistrate on Thursday.


SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago says the unit received information from a whistleblower.


“We have come to Matlosana because we received information that there have been wrong doings in relation to the procument of PPEs and we then did our preliminary investigation.


“We requested for documents from this municipality and they were not forthcoming, and we also received information that some people wanted to destroy some of the information. We then came here and requested the magistrate to give us permission to seize the documents which was granted to us yesterday.”


President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier this year signed a proclamation authorising the SIU to probe the procurement of goods, including  personal protective equipment, during the National State of Disaster.


Listen to Kaizer Kganyago below:

The proclamation authorised the SIU to look at alleged serious maladministration in connection with the affairs of state institutions, improper or unlawful conduct by the officials or employees of the state institutions and unlawful, irregular or unapproved acquisitive act, transaction, measure or practise having a bearing upon state property.


The SIU is also looking at payments made in a manner that was not fair, competitive, transparent, equitable or cost-effective.


“All of this investigation is around the PPEs and it is in relation to proclamation president gave us permission to investigate.


we are looking at a total procurement of around R47 million, but we are not saying all the R47 million is irregular,” says Kganyago


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