(Photo by Gallo Images/Sharon Seretlo)
- It is alleged that a East London businessman who had been dead for two years, scored a PPE tender during the Covid-19 pandemic.
- The Daily Dispatch reported that the deceased’s company was listed as having received R992 105.
- The Special Investigating Unit was investigating 239 cases worth R622.4 million in the Eastern Cape.
An East London businessman, who had been dead for two years, allegedly scored a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) tender worth close to a R1 million during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Daily Dispatch reported the deceased’s company was listed as having benefitted from the Eastern Cape department of health’s Covid-19 procurement.
The provincial government disclosed the list of more than 600 vendors that benefitted from the procurement meant for Covid-19 goods and services.
The newspaper reported that Odwa KK Matshaya’s family was shocked when they saw his company, 2KS Construction and Projects, listed as having received R992 105.
READ | SIU probes PPE contracts worth R5bn, Eastern Cape tops alleged irregular cases
It was reported that, at the time of his death, Matshaya was the sole director.
The Daily Dispatch quoted one of Matshaya’s relatives, who said: “KK died two years ago and was the owner and sole director of this company. This came as a shock to us, but the family does not want to talk more about this. This is not good at all – this is rot. Who did this and for what good reason?”
The publication further reported that a number of other Eastern Cape businessmen have come forward disclosing that their companies appeared on the list, while they were never awarded the contracts.
The Daily Dispatch also discovered several companies were awarded contracts worth the exact same amount.
News24 attempted to get comment from the province’s department of health, but was unsuccessful.
READ | SIU probes PPE contracts worth R5bn, Eastern Cape tops alleged irregular cases
News24 reported on Wednesday, that the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) was investigating at least 658 contracts related to Covid-19 procurement worth around R5 billion.
The province with the most contracts under investigation was the Eastern Cape, with 239 cases worth R622.4 million.
While not related to Covid-19, the Nelson Mandela Bay acting municipal manager Mvuleni Mapu was arrested on Friday and appeared in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court on fraud and corruption charges relating to a multimillion-rand housing tender.
Bulelwa Eunice Ntanga-Mkwakwai who allegedly bribed Mapu to win the R12.8 million contract, also appeared in court.
Both accused were granted bail of R20 000 and the matter was postponed to 3 November, News24 reported.
– Compiled by Alex Mitchley
