ANC regional leader Teris Ntutu has been warned to hand himself over to the Hawks tomorrow and is expected to appear in court on the same day in relation to the ongoing corruption case involving the troubled Mnquma Municipality.
The Daily Dispatch can reveal that the warrant for Ntutu’s arrest was signed in March but was never effected as Hawks bosses feared their action could be interpreted as an attempt to influence the ANC regional conference in Amathole, which took place in the same month. At the conference, Ntutu was re-elected as regional secretary.
But last week Ntutu, along with businessman Regis Masuku and a staff member at Mnquma’s supply chain management division, known as Zanele, were given notices to hand themselves over to the police tomorrow.
The Hawks investigation is linked to the fraudulent refuse bags tender worth R10-million.
The trio are expected to make a brief court appearance and their case is likely to be postponed to May 8, when businessman Sive Nombembe, who benefited from the plastic bags tender through his company, Big Event Boy, makes his third court appearance.
Nombembe was arrested
the late Mnquma local municipality manager Sindile Tantsi and the two were charged with fraud and corruption.
Tantsi passed away in March. Nombembe was granted R35000 bail and Tantsi is out on R40000 bail.
Through their scheme, Tantsi would authorise weekly payments to Nombembe – who billed the impoverished municipality between R185 to R192 for a packet of 20 refuse bags which usually retails for between R20 to R30 a packet.
The payments would flow into Nombembe’s account and soon thereafter cash withdrawals or electronic transfers were made into the accounts of certain individuals, including Ntutu.
The payments were made to beneficiaries using code names.
The Daily Dispatch has seen documents showing amounts ranging from R15000 to R100000 transferred to Ntutu’s FNB bank account by Big Event Boy.
Masuku made two payments of R500000 and R350000 between November 5 and 14 2015 to Big Boy Event and the money was immediately transferred to individuals.
A Dispatch investigation can today reveal for the first time that:
lOn November 6, Nombembe made a cash withdrawal of R300000 from the first transfer of R500000;
lHe further made another transfer of R100000 on November 7, to code name “ft”; and
lOn November 17, a R300000 cash withdrawal was made from an FNB teller.
Masuku was also embroiled in the scandal over a R500000 donation to the ANC’s Mbhashe sub-region. The donation left the ANC sub-region divided.
According to his company online profile, Masuku amassed millions of rands from Mbhashe municipality through various electrification tenders.
The money came from Masuku’s own company, Rapid Dawn 1216 CC, with RPS Engineering, a company of which Masuku is a shareholder, used as a reference.
At the time, Masuku confirmed making such a donation to the ANC sub-region. The Dispatch can also reveal Masuku’s company had electrification tenders with Mnquma.
The Dispatch understands that the third person to be charged with Ntutu and Masuku is a senior Mnquma official who was involved in making the transactions to Nombembe’s company.
The Dispatch has also learnt there are investigations into several other tenders issued by Mnquma, including the construction of rural roads. Also, more than 20 officials from the municipality’s finance unit an d supply chain were questioned by the Hawks and forensic investigators from an audit firm in East London in March.
Hawks provincial spokeswoman Captain Anelisa Feni would only say: “We don’t discuss investigations through the media”.
Attempts to get comment from Ntutu and Masuku proved fruitless.
Hawks pounce on ANC boss -Ntutu warned to hand himself over refuse bags tender
The Daily Dispatch can reveal that the warrant for Ntutu’s arrest was signed in March but was never effected as Hawks bosses feared their action could be interpreted as an attempt to influence the ANC regional conference in Amathole, which took place in the same month. At the conference, Ntutu was re-elected as regional secretary.
But last week Ntutu, along with businessman Regis Masuku and a staff member at Mnquma’s supply chain management division, known as Zanele, were given notices to hand themselves over to the police tomorrow.
The Hawks investigation is linked to the fraudulent refuse bags tender worth R10-million.
The trio are expected to make a brief court appearance and their case is likely to be postponed to May 8, when businessman Sive Nombembe, who benefited from the plastic bags tender through his company, Big Event Boy, makes his third court appearance.
Nombembe was arrested
the late Mnquma local municipality manager Sindile Tantsi and the two were charged with fraud and corruption.
Tantsi passed away in March. Nombembe was granted R35000 bail and Tantsi is out on R40000 bail.
Through their scheme, Tantsi would authorise weekly payments to Nombembe – who billed the impoverished municipality between R185 to R192 for a packet of 20 refuse bags which usually retails for between R20 to R30 a packet.
The payments would flow into Nombembe’s account and soon thereafter cash withdrawals or electronic transfers were made into the accounts of certain individuals, including Ntutu.
The payments were made to beneficiaries using code names.
The Daily Dispatch has seen documents showing amounts ranging from R15000 to R100000 transferred to Ntutu’s FNB bank account by Big Event Boy.
Masuku made two payments of R500000 and R350000 between November 5 and 14 2015 to Big Boy Event and the money was immediately transferred to individuals.
A Dispatch investigation can today reveal for the first time that:
lOn November 6, Nombembe made a cash withdrawal of R300000 from the first transfer of R500000;
lHe further made another transfer of R100000 on November 7, to code name “ft”; and
lOn November 17, a R300000 cash withdrawal was made from an FNB teller.
Masuku was also embroiled in the scandal over a R500000 donation to the ANC’s Mbhashe sub-region. The donation left the ANC sub-region divided.
According to his company online profile, Masuku amassed millions of rands from Mbhashe municipality through various electrification tenders.
The money came from Masuku’s own company, Rapid Dawn 1216 CC, with RPS Engineering, a company of which Masuku is a shareholder, used as a reference.
At the time, Masuku confirmed making such a donation to the ANC sub-region. The Dispatch can also reveal Masuku’s company had electrification tenders with Mnquma.
The Dispatch understands that the third person to be charged with Ntutu and Masuku is a senior Mnquma official who was involved in making the transactions to Nombembe’s company.
The Dispatch has also learnt there are investigations into several other tenders issued by Mnquma, including the construction of rural roads. Also, more than 20 officials from the municipality’s finance unit an d supply chain were questioned by the Hawks and forensic investigators from an audit firm in East London in March.
Hawks provincial spokeswoman Captain Anelisa Feni would only say: “We don’t discuss investigations through the media”.
Attempts to get comment from Ntutu and Masuku proved fruitless.
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