Hawks to investigate government official for alleged corruption

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

The Hawks have confirmed that they are investigating a government official for corruption involving R1.6 billion.

Hawks spokesperson, Captain Paul Ramaloko, said today that there is no formal charge at the moment, but he did confirm that an application for a preservation order was made in the high court.

He declined to provide further details other than to say that the corruption was allegedly committed during the official's term of office.

Sapa reports that the Special Investigating Unit also declined to comment on a report in the Mail and Guardian that former Gauteng Health MEC, Brian Hlongwa, was the subject of the investigation which goes back to 2006.

The newspaper says the ANC was allegedly the beneficiary of his actions and that Hlongwa, who is the ANC's chief whip in Gauteng, allegedly acted as a conduit for bribes.

The newspaper reports on Friday that the National Prosecuting Authority had lodged a series of applications in the High Court in Johannesburg asking for orders to freeze the assets of certain companies, and a house.

Among the allegations was that R300 000 was diverted from the Gauteng health department to the ANC's 2009 election campaign in the province.