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The Hawks arrested a 48-year-old official from the OR Tambo District Municipality in the Eastern Cape in connection Covid19 Relief Fund tender fraud involving an amount of R4.8 million.
Hawks spokesperson, Colonel Katlego Mogale, said Phumzile Gwadiso, the Whippery Services Manager in the Municipality, appeared in Mthatha Magistrates Court on Friday after being arrested in the morning.
His arrest follows that of the director of the Phathilizwi Training Institute, Pumza Gambula (48), on 22 October 2020.
Mogale said the Hawks investigation, in conjunction with the Special Investigation Unit, revealed that Gambula had submitted fraudulent documents to various municipalities purporting that she conducted door-to-door awareness campaigns for the prevention and containment of the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"The said campaign was allegedly conducted in rural communities of Port St Johns Local, King Sabatha Dalindyebo and Mhlonto Local Municipalities."
Mogale said further investigation revealed that Gwadiso allegedly worked "in cahoots" with Gambula, signing off on invoices for payments confirming that the campaigns had taken place.
Gwadiso was granted bail of R50 000 and the matter postponed to 25 January 2021, when he will appear in court with Gambula, who is out on bail of R20 000.
