Five more arrests in Durban Solid Waste corruption scandal

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Durban - A senior Ethekwini Municipality official and four others are set to appear at the Durban Specialised Commercial Crime Court on charges of corruption. The five accused aged between 25 and 45 years of age are expected to appear in court on Friday. The arrest of the five municipal officials emanates from the ongoing investigations into the Durban Solid Waste (DSW) allegations of corruption. It is alleged the municipal official conspired with service providers in 2017 and received illicit benefits in a form of a R1 million vehicle which was reportedly bought for his wife said the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi "A total of R600 000 was paid in cash made up of R400 000 and R200 000 separate payments from two of the accused companies accounts. The settlement amount was in the form of another luxury vehicle being traded to cover the costs,"he said.

"It is alleged the purchasing of the said vehicle was a payment in exchange for him to award tenders to the other people," added Mulaudzi.

The Mercury newspaper reported that the amount involved in the alleged fraud and corruption perpetrated by former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede and her co-accused in a Durban Solid Waste (DSW) tender has risen to R389 million.

The matter against Gumede was postponed to April 16 for further investigation after she appeared alongside her co-accused at the Durban Commercial Crimes Court.

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, known as the Hawks, initially placed the value of the alleged tender fraud at R208 million.

On Wednesday, January 15, 2020 the National Prosecuting Authority KwaZulu-Natal spokeswoman Natasha Kara told reporters that a search and seizure operation last October had yielded a second lot of documents at the home of one of the people accused alongside the former mayor.

“This has obviously warranted further investigation,” Kara said, adding that the state had to thoroughly analyse the information in its possession pertaining to the case before the matter could proceed.

Daily News