SIU, Hawks And SAPS Raids Masilonyana Municipality Over Tender Mismanagement

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU), along with the Hawks and the South African Police Service, carried out a search at the Masilonyana Local Municipality in the Free State.

The search was part of an investigation into claims of mismanagement involving two tenders at the municipality. The tenders are for the refurbishment of the Brandfort Water Treatment Works and Raw Water Pump Stations and the upgrade of Phase II of the Brandfort Sports Centre.

The investigation aimed to determine if municipal officials, service providers or other involved parties have unfairly benefited, leading to unauthorized, irregular or wasteful spending and financial losses for the municipality, SA News reported.

The search and seizure operation were the SIU's final step to access necessary documents for the investigation. Since the proclamation was issued on Sept. 13, 2024, the SIU made several attempts to contact the municipality to obtain the documents voluntarily, but these efforts were ignored.

As a result, the SIU sought help from the court to obtain a warrant to search for and seize important documents and electronic equipment.

During the search operation, the authorities seized several materials. These included company registration documents and payment records, such as invoices, purchase orders, and remittance advice.

They also took electronic devices, including laptops, mobile phones, and external storage media used by relevant officials and employees. Furthermore, any electronic data linked to specific personnel, including emails and information stored in cloud storage, was seized.

The SIU is authorized by the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act 74 of 1996 to subpoena bank statements and phone records, search and seize evidence and question witnesses under oath to investigate allegations fully.

The investigating unit can also take legal action in the High Court or a Special Tribunal to address wrongdoing found during corruption, fraud, or mismanagement investigations. If any criminal conduct is uncovered, the SIU will refer the evidence to the National Prosecuting Authority for further action.

In October, the SIU and the Gauteng Provincial Legislature's Integrity Commission signed an agreement to improve governance, ethics and integrity through teamwork. SIU, in September, was authorized to look into serious mismanagement at Transnet including the reinstatement of Siyabonga Gama, the former CEO of Transnet Freight Rail.