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The Hawks conducted a search and seizure operation at Buffalo City Municipality as part of investigations into corruption in Covi19-relief spending.
Hawks national spokesperson, Colonel Katlego Mogale, said in a brief statement on Thursday that the raid followed allegations of corruption involving an estimated R30 million.
She said the team confiscated documents and electronic equipment containing information pertaining to the investigation.
Mogale said the allegations relate to the alleged flouting of “supply chain processes” in the procurement of food vouchers for Covid19 relief programmes in Buffalo City Metro.
In a statement, Buffalo City Municipality said it was cooperating with the investigation.
"The processing of the hunger relief vouchers program was conducted and guided by prescripts of the legislation and a legal opinion was obtained which confirmed that the necessary conditions and requirements had been satisfied and that the expenditure was not irregular," the statement said.
It added that the purchasing of the vouchers "was conducted in accordance with BCMM’s Supply Chain Management Policy, and was subjected to the regulations issued under the MFMA with regard to emergency procurement."
The Municipality said the program was introduced in a time of "an unprecedented" emergency and while challenges were inevitable, the food voucher program had been "a resounding success that saw Buffalo City being the first, if not only Municipality in the country, that supported its most vulnerable citizens, in their greatest time of need."
