tender fraud

Tender FRAUD: Security firm directors in court over R224 million contract

Directors of the privately owned security firm appeared in the dock after handing themselves in to the Hawks for tender fraud charges.

tender fraud

Two company directors, Gert Renier Van Rooyen, 62, and Claudius Gerald Peterson, 57, made a brief appearance in the Kimberley Magistrate Court on Friday to face charges of alleged tender fraud and contravention of the Private Security Industry Regulation Act 56 of 2001. 

The tender fraud suspects appeared along with Steven Jonkers, 55, who is facing a charge of contravening the Public Finance Management Act 1 of 1999 (PFMA). 

Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Philani Nkwalase said the stage had alleged that during 2017, the former HOD, who once was a police officer and is currently the deputy director general in another provincial department, awarded a tender irregularly to Defensor Electronic Security Systems company for rendering security services to the department. 

“It is further alleged that the directors of the company submitted fraudulent documents in order to gain an unfair advantage over others to be awarded the tender as the highest bidder. They were awarded the tender between August and October 2017, worth a total value surpassing R224 million, however it later escalated to an amount exceeding R384 million,” Nkwalase said.

The case was reported to the Hawk’s Serious Corruption Investigation in December 2017 and an inquiry was registered. 

“The inquiry was turned into a case docket in January 2020 culminating in the arrest and subsequent court appearance,” Nkwalase said.

“The suspects handed  themselves over to the Hawks on Friday morning before appearing in court.

 Jonkers was released on R50 000 bail, whilst Van Rooyen and Peterson were each released on R100 000 bail. The case against the three suspects has been postponed to Wednesday 10 November 2021. 

Meanwhile, in a separate incident the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team in Germiston swooped on three company Directors for allegedly defrauding Covid-19 Temporary Relief Scheme Fund (TERS) of approximately R10-million last year.

“The trio were apprehended on the 7 October 2021, when warrants for their arrest were executed in Polokwane following an investigation that started around March 2021,” Nkwalase said.

“The probe uncovered that during the period from April until June 2020,  a company known as Denmag Trading directed by Levy Moremi (36), Treasure Moremi (34) and Anna Moremi (33) applied for Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF)TERS for its employees,” he said.

“The company has about 29 personnel in its payroll, but the application made was for 537 employees which means that the 508 employees were non-existent. The application was processed successfully and a sum of over R10-million was paid into the company’s account wherein it was laundered into various bank accounts by the trio for self-gain,” he said.

The three appeared in Polokwane Commercial Specialised Crimes Court sitting at the High Court on the same day, and were granted bail ranging from R5000 to R10 000.

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