The husband of Limpopo MEC for Safety, Security and Liaison, Mapula Mokaba-Phukwana, is due to appear at the Vryburg Magistrate's Court on Monday on charges of fraud and corruption allegedly committed while he was a municipal manager of the Naledi municipality in the North West.
According to an information note addressed to Police Minister Nathi Nhleko, from the Hawks Anti-corruption Task Team, secretariat serious corruption, a warrant of arrest against Zwelakhe Phukwana was issued by the prosecutor on May 27.
It was then authorised by the Vryburg magistrate on June 3 for his court appearance.
It is alleged that Phukwana received kickbacks amounting to R350 000 from a company that was appointed to build 3 000 low-cost homes and for the installation of services.
The letter reads: “The J175 requires the suspect (Phukwana) to appear at the Vryburg Regional Court on June 20 on charges of fraud, corruption and contravention of certain provisions of the municipal Finance Management Act 56 of 2003.”
It adds: “It is important to note that the suspect is a spouse of the Limpopo MEC for Safety, Security and Liaison, Ms MA Mokaba-Phukwana.”
Mokaba-Phukwana is a sister of the late Peter Mokaba, who became known in the 1990s for his use of the slogan “Kill the farmer, kill the boer”.
When Mokaba-Phukwana was contacted for a comment, she said: “I don’t have any comment. You are talking about Zwelakhe, not me.”
She added that she would not comment on somebody else’s behalf. When asked if she was aware of the investigations, she said: “I don’t know anything. It’s not my issue.”
However, according to the letter of June 4, investigators visited the suspect’s (Phukwana's) address with the view of serving the warrant of arrest, but withheld this after his marital status to Mokaba-Phukwana was established, to allow the Hawks management to be informed.
Highly placed sources in the Hawks told The Sunday Independent that Mokaba-Phukwana had been informed.
“The investigations started a few months ago after our officers received a tip-off about activities of corruption that also involved Phukwana. After intense investigations it emerged that there was money that was paid into his bank account. That’s when a docket was opened,” said a source close to the investigation.
Hawks spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi refused to comment.
Phukwane was a municipal manager of the Naledi local municipality from January 2007 to August 2008.
It is alleged that during his tenure as municipal manager, he awarded a contract to Khasu Engineering Service Pty Ltd to build 3 000 low-cost houses and for installation of services in extension 25 and 28 in Vryburg.
The total tender amount was R216m.
According to the letter, no competitive process was followed in awarding this tender.
“Mr Phukwane diverted from the normal tender processes on (the) grounds that there was an emergency for the building of the low-cost houses.”
The municipality received R87m from the North West Department of Housing and they paid R86m to Khasu Engineering Services for this tender.
The investigations also revealed that “roads, earthworks, storm-water structures and street lights were not constructed and/or installed, although payment certificates indicated this work was done.”
Sunday Independent