Johannesburg - The Hawks, the elite investigations unit, has confirmed that they are investigating former prosecutor-turned-politician Glynnis Breytenbach over her alleged abuse of power during her tenure as an NPA official.
Breytenbach allegedly colluded, manipulated and abused her powers to ensure a firm represented by an intimate friend and business partner was awarded the contract when she was a prosecutor.
She allegedly abused and manipulated legal processes to ensure false charges were brought against a competitor. The corruption and collusion allegedly took place between Breytenbach, her partner, the police and possibly certain magistrates who irregularly authorised search warrants.
Hawks spokesman Hangwani Mulaudzi said the unit had appointed a task team led by two high-ranking colonels, Mmeli Makinana and Khaya Gwayi, to probe the allegations that Breytenbach, now a DA MP, abused her position and powers in cases where close associates, one allegedly her lover, were involved.
“The task team started investigations two months ago. They started collecting all the required documents and speaking to all the people who will be crucial in the case. A process to rope in (an independent) prosecutor to give advice to the task team is under way,” Hangwani said.
The allegations relate to a R30-million-a-year, five-year contract to administer the Hosmed medical aid scheme, and to the Competition Commission’s probe into tender-rigging in the construction industry, thought to have involved at least R47 billion and 140 projects.
Among the allegations the commission investigated were that projects had been “fixed”, including the building of Soccer City Stadium in Joburg, the Cape Town Soccer Stadium, the Coega development project in the Eastern Cape, the Nelson Mandela Bridge in Joburg and the Gautrain.
The Sunday Independent can also reveal the Hawks are investigating other cases against Breytenbach dating from when she was employed by the NPA.
It is alleged that Allcare was the preferred bidder after three other companies were eliminated in the medical health care matter.
Breytenbach’s partner was a representative for one of the bidders, Thebe Ya Bophelo (TYB) Healthcare Administrators, eliminated from the bidding process at an early stage.
It is alleged that to ensure that TYB was awarded the contract, police officials, Breytenbach, her partner and other officials developed a strategy to discredit and “embarrass Allcare by carrying out raids”.
An insider said the raids were timed to ensure Allcare lost the lucrative contract with Hosmed to rival TYB. Allcare offices were allegedly raided by the Hawks after a whistle-blower made a false statement about Hosmed alleging it was involved in tender-rigging.
Breytenbach, who confirmed she was aware of the probe, said: “I didn’t do anything wrong. I don’t care if they investigate me; they must do what they want to do.”
The Sunday Independent