Mpumalanga stolen property

Three suspects found with stolen property in Mpumalanga
Image via Adobe Stock

Four bid evaluation committee members arrested for housing project fraud

Four committee members from the Housing Development Agency were arrested by the Hawks in different parts of Johannesburg on Friday.

Mpumalanga stolen property

Three suspects found with stolen property in Mpumalanga
Image via Adobe Stock

Four bid evaluation committee members from the Housing Development Agency were arrested by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation members in different parts of Johannesburg on Friday 18 December 2020 in connection with alleged fraud of over R2.4 million on the Talani Temporary Housing units project.

HOUSING PROJECT: SUSPECTS ALLEGEDLY FAILED TO CHECK VALIDITY OF DOCUMENTS 

According to Captain Matimba Maluleke, the suspects allegedly vouched for Aventino Group CC company to construct the housing units without thoroughly checking the validity of the documents that were submitted. 

“It is further alleged that the temporary housing units do not adhere to the design and specifications,” said Maluleke. 

The suspects are expected to appear in the Tzaneen Magistrate’s Court on Monday 21 December 2020 to face multiple charges of fraud. This brings the total number of arrested suspects to seven. 

The initial suspects, Raymond Maoto, 35, Project manager from the Housing Development Agency and Constance Mohlala, 44, a director of Aventino Group CC company and Aventino Group CC company were arrested on Thursday in Polokwane and have since appeared in the Tzaneen Magistrate’s Court.  

“They have been remanded in custody until Tuesday 22 December 2020 for formal bail application,” added Maluleke. 

SISULU WELCOMES RECENT SPATE OF ARRESTS 

Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, has welcomed the recent spate of arrests of former executives of Lepelle Northern Water Board and that of a senior official at Housing Development Agency (HDA).

The Minister has instructed the Board of the HDA and its executives to fully cooperate with Hawks to ensure this matter is concluded as quickly as possible.

“Any effort aimed at cleansing our institutions of fraud and corruption should be supported. We have a responsibility as public servants to serve our people with honour and dignity. This is what we owe our forebears who sacrificed so much for us to have this freedom we all enjoy today”, said Sisulu.

While Sisulu commended The Hawks and other law-enforcement agencies for arrests, she hopes other cases involving officials in the Eastern Cape and Western will soon be finalised.

“The vast majority of our Water boards are fully functional and are run by men and women who are determined to ensure that our boards achieve their mandate of delivering water to South Africans”, said Sisulu.

“Within the committee is a disciplinary unit that is dealing with 166 cases, emanating from the auditor general’s annual reports over a number of years. These cases are at an advanced stage and ongoing as we put in place the necessary support structures to ensure there is no disruption of the work of the department,” she added.