Tshwarelo Hunter Mogakane
Pretoria - The ongoing Special Investigating Unit (SIU) investigations into billions of rand stolen in the name of Covid-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) have netted suspects within the SANDF.
As a result, Lieutenant Dimakatso Modise, Lieutenant-Colonel Vivian Seadimo Peu, a Captain Mbomolelo, Avroline Tshikosi and Leading Seaman Suzen Jiane appeared in the Thaba Tshwane Military Court on Friday in connection with fraud and corruption involving more than a quarter of R1 billion.
SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said they welcomed progress in the case. “They are charged with fraud and corruption related to the procurement of PPE items such as masks and gloves for members of the SANDF during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The court appearance of Modise, Peu, Tshikosi and Jiane comes after an SIU investigation which revealed that the SANDF irregularly awarded PPE contracts to five companies to the sum of R273 500 000 between May and August 2020,” said Kganyago.
Kganyago said their investigation uncovered evidence that the list of service providers for the masks and gloves were predetermined.
“Some of the PPE items were delivered before approval, thus deviating from normal supply chain management processes.
“Furthermore, the SIU investigation revealed that the procurement process followed by the SANDF to procure PPE related items was not fair, transparent, equitable, competitive, or cost effective and thus contravened the provisions of Section 217(1) of the Constitution.”
The SIU was mandated through a presidential proclamation to investigate the affairs of all state institutions in respect of the procurement or contracts relating to the National State of Disaster activated to manage the pandemic.
“The court appearance is a continuation of the implementation of the SIU investigation outcomes and consequence management to recover assets and financial losses suffered by state institutions and to prevent further losses, and to hold them accountable.
“The SIU will institute a civil action in the Special Tribunal to review and set aside the contracts, and to recover financial losses suffered by the state and SANDF as a result of corruption and negligence. In line with the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act, evidence pointing to criminal conduct is referred to the National Prosecuting Authority for further action,” Kganyago said.
Department of Defence spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini said: “This follows a lengthy investigation by the Special Investigating Unit which resulted in the finding that at least 15 Department of Defence officials are alleged to have committed misconduct with regard to the procurement of PPE.
“Although the report refers to the conduct of these officials as misconduct, the report also alleges that some criminal activities, like fraud by some officials, warranted criminal action.
“Based on the forensic report, military police opened a criminal docket and conducted a prosecution guided investigation.
“As a result of this investigation, in September, four of 15 members of the SANDF were charged and appeared before the Court of a Senior Military Judge in Thaba Tshwane for arraignment,” said Dlamini.
SANDF Chief, General Rudzani Maphwanya, condemned the behaviour of the officers.
“The behaviour of these and other members will not be tolerated in the ranks of the defence force and we will make sure that we root out such elements in our ranks so that the people we serve continue to have confidence in the SANDF.
“We are expected to lead by example in the public eye and anyone found to be in conflict with the code of conduct of the SANDF and the laws of this country will be dealt with harshly within the confines of the law.”
The four will appear in the same military court on October 6.
Pretoria News