The Eastern Cape company is in hot water after Hawks and National Prosecuting Authority’s Asset Forfeiture (AFU) have secured success in the fight against crime, with the newest granting of forfeiture order of a Mercedes Benz worth R850 000 by Makhanda High Court on 18 March 2025.
It is alleged that during 2020, a certain company was awarded a tender for supplying personal protective equipment (PPE) to the department of education at a value of more than R4 million. It was later received that the supplier had paid an amount of R573 000-00, which is alleged to have already been paid by the Chief Director at the Department of Education as a down payment.
The matter was brought to the attention of the Hawks for probing.
Meanwhile, the investigation revealed that these orchestrated transactions between supplier and the Chief Director amounted to R950 000-00. This led to the arrest of a sole director of the company and his entity, the Chief Director of Supply Chain Management at the Department of Education, and his wife, employed by the Department of Education as a teacher on 30 November 2022.
The trio was apprehended in East London during the early hours of the same day, facing numerous charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering.
The threesome made their first appearance before Zwelitsha Magistrate court where each was granted bail of R10 000 bail, and their criminal case later withdrawn. Furthermore, the team’s effort resulted in the granting of asset forfeiture order, which was a Mercedes Benz worth R850 000 by Makhanda High court.
According to Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana, the vehicle will be sold at auction; proceeds will be deposited into the Criminal Asset Recovery Account (CARA) for state use.
