Cape Times - The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has swooped on Matzikama Municipality offices, seizing documents and computers as part of its probe into alleged irregular procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the region.
SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said on Sunday that teams were sent to the Matzikama municipality and the two PPE suppliers last week following allegations about procurement irregularities there in June.
“That was before the proclamation from the president. We then started looking into it, but before we could do much, we got a tip-off that people wanted to destroy evidence at the municipality and at the suppliers. We then went to the magistrate in that area to ask for a search and seizure permit. We applied for it and it was granted on Thursday.
“We sent our teams both to the municipality and the suppliers that were supplying PPEs to that municipality to seize information, computers, and documents in their offices. We are now in the process of going through all the documents that we have seized from them,” Kganyago said.
Following the SIUs raid on Thursday, local government MEC Anton Bredell released a statement, saying he was “dismayed to learn” of allegations that some people tried to destroy evidence in the Matzikama offices.
The municipality, located on the West Coast and which includes the towns of Vredendal, Vanrhynsdorp, Klawer and Lutzville, is run by an ANC grouping after the party replaced a DA grouping.
“I want to urge the acting leader of the opposition in the Western Cape, Cameron Dugmore, to look into these allegations and to work with us in tackling corruption and ensuring good governance in the province.”
Dugmore hit back on Sunday, saying they supported the probe and accused Bredell of interfering with the SIU’s investigation.
“It’s clear that Bredell cannot distinguish between his role as an MEC for local government and his role as DA chairperson. Councillors and our mayor in Matzikama are (co-)operating fully with the SIU. For Bredell to say evidence has been destroyed is simply his ongoing interference and to try and paint the ANC in a bad light. We challenge him, come forward with the evidence. We will work directly with the SIU to make sure that any corruption in regard to the allegation of PPE’s to fight Covid-19 is exposed,” he said.
Matzikama municipality Mayor Matilda Baines referred questions to Danville Smith, ANC MPL spokesperson on local government in the Western Cape Legislature, who criticised Bredell for his statement and echoed Dugmore’s comment that the party co-operated with the SIU.
“In fact, a big surprise awaits the MEC when the real evidence is made public as to what transpired during the dark days when the DA was in power in Matzikama. It does not take away from the unsettling feeling that the DA’s haste to detract attention from its own problems and corrupt actions could have led to the uncovering of historic misgivings under DA-rule.
“The ANC therefore awaits the report to see what has been uncovered by the SIU and especially who is responsible for it. It might just backfire big time on the DA and a politician beyond his sell-by-date, like Bredell. The ANC therefore says the DA must kick out Bredell now or later suffer the indignity for not acting timeously.”
The probe comes as the Gauteng Health Department is under fire for awarding a R125-million PPE tender to Royal Bhaca Projects, a company owned by Thandisizwe Diko, the husband of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Khusela Diko.
Royal Bhaca was among the beneficiaries of R2.2 billion PPE contracts awarded by Gauteng Health MEC Bandile Masuku’s department within five days of President Ramaphosa announcing a national Covid-19 lockdown on March 26.
The government had said that the two controversial contracts were cancelled. However, the Cape Times’ sister publication, the Sunday Independent, reported on Sunday that the Gauteng Department of Health had paid Royal Bhaca Projects at least R80m for its PPE services over the past week alone through a front company known as Ledla Structural Development.
The money was channelled through Ledla in 12 tranches of between R120000 and R38m after the company invoiced for items that bear a striking resemblance in value, quantity and pricing to the ones supplied by Royal Bhaca, according to payment records, official documents and sources.