Siyabonga Sesant
Eight people charged with fraud and corruption, including the Nelson Mandela Bay City Manager Noxolo Nqwazi and ANC regional secretary Luyolo Nqakula, have been granted bail of R5000 each.
The accused made their first appearance in the Gqeberha Magistrate's Court on Friday following a "Hollywood style" arrest by the Hawks on Thursday.
The accused include suspended human settlements director Mvuleni Mapu who also has two other pending fraud and corruption-related cases against him.
They were arrested following an investigation by the Hawks into the alleged irregular awarding of a toilet tender worth R24.6 million meant for 2000 poor households during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Nqwazi and Mapu face charges of fraud and corruption in relation to the alleged irregular awarding of this tender.
The Hawks further allege that R300 000 was traced to Nqakula's FNB bank account from where he allegedly paid three former DA councillors R100 000 each for turning on their political party at the time.
This decision to led the unceremonious removal of former executive mayor Athol Trollip and ultimately the DA-led administration at a chaotic council meeting in 2018.
Nqakula and the former DA councillors Victor Manyathi, Neville Higgins and Trevor Louw face charges of corruption.
Manyathi also has a pending case against him of fraud to the tune of R60 000 before the Gqeberha Specialised Crimes Court.
The case was transferred to the Specialised Commercial Crimes court.
All of the accused, out on strict bail conditions, are expected back in court on the 31st of October.
