Image via: Adobe Stock
NMB acting city manager Mvuleni Mapu granted R20 000 bail
Mapu was arrested by the Hawks in his home in Port Elizabeth early on Friday morning for corruption and fraud.
Image via: Adobe Stock
Nelson Mandela Bay acting municipal manager Mvuleni Mapu was granted R20 000 bail by the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court just hours after his arrest on Friday morning.
Bulelwa Eunice Ntanga Mkwakwi — a local businesswoman who was also arrested shortly after Mapu — was also granted bail of R20 000.
MAPU AND NTANGA MKWAKWI UNDER 24-HOUR HOUSE ARREST
In terms of their bail conditions, the pair will be under 24-hour house arrest; they are not allowed to appear in any Nelson Mandela municipal buildings for 30 days from today from Friday and must not interfere with witnesses or the investigation.
“The two appeared on allegations of fraud and corruption which involved about R14 million. Their matter has been postponed to 3 November 2020,” said NPA Regional spokesperson Anelisa Ngcakani.
TENDER IRREGULARITIES
It is alleged that Mapu and Ntanga Mkwakwi had a corrupt relationship during 2014. Mapu allegedly accepted a R900 000 bribe from her in exchange for awarding her business with a R12.8 million tender.
Mapu was the Director of the municipality’s housing department in 2014, while Ntanga Mkwakwi is the sole owner of Jeke and Qadi Trading cc.
“The Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements funded several RDP housing projects in Port Elizabeth. The municipality was the developer for these projections and potential contractors were required by the municipality to be registered on its database. Ntanga Mkwakwi registered her business during March 2012,” said Ngcakani.
According to the NPA, an allocations committee, chaired by Mapu, was responsible for allocating work to contractors registered under the data-base. It convened during February 2014 and recommended the allocation of contracts to several contractors which included Jeke and Qabi Trading.
“Consequently, during March 2014, the company was awarded a R12.8 million contract for an RDP construction project in Port Elizabeth,” she added.
Evidence reveals that during January 2014, prior to the awarding of this contract, Ntanga-Mkwakwi transferred R900 000 from her bank account into an Allan Gray platform account which bore an account reference in favour of Mapu.
CHARGED WITH CORRUPTION
Mapu and Ntanga-Mkwakwi have both been charged with corruption. Mapu, while being in public office, allegedly accepted a bribe, while Ntanga-Mkwakwi allegedly bribed a public official.
Both Mapu and Ntanga-Mkwakwi have been charged with fraud as they allegedly contravened the municipality’s Supply Chain Management Act. Mapu, in his capacity as the chairperson of the allocations committee, failed to disclose the financial interests and benefits he allegedly received from Jeke and Qabi Trading.
“Ntanga-Mkwakwi is accused of fraud as she allegedly failed to reveal that her company granted Mapu the R900 000 reward,” she added.
