JOHANNESBURG - The Hawks have not yet questioned any Steinhoff staff, or visited the firm’s offices to carry out investigations, a Hawks spokesperson said.
According to a report by Reuters, the Hawks has written to interpol seeking assistance in investigating Steinhoff's activities abroad. South Africa‘s elite Hawks police spokesman says a case to investigate Steinhoff was opened in December.
Reuters further reported that the Hawks are awaiting an internal report from Steinhoff to continue investigations into the retailer.
Also read: JSE says still investigating Steinhoff over accounting scandal
Steinhoff board and management members were on Wednesday unable to answer questions from MPs on exactly what led to the accounting scandal which saw the international company's share price drop by more than eighty percent.
"Until we have those reports, not only from statutory auditors, but from the forensic investigations, we really do not know how this has happened," said Christo Wiese, the former supervisory board chairman and one of the biggest shareholders of the retailer.
Have you read: Steinhoff's former chairman Wiese says accounting scandal like "bolt from blue"
Wiese, along with a large contingent of board and management, was briefing three parliamentary committees.
Earlier in the day, Parliament heard that former Steinhoff CEO and shareholder Markus Jooste was reported to the Hawks, from acting chairperson Heather Sonn.