Toilet Scandal 10 in court to face corruption charges

The 10 suspects including the Siyenza Group bosses Bongani Mpeluza and Vuyani Gaga have arrived at the East London magistrate’s court to answer to charges of corruption, fraud and money laundering.

They are yet to be in the dock as Court A where they are due to appear is still dealing with old cases.

National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson Luxolo Tyali confirmed to DispatchLIVE on Friday morning that all suspects were in the holding cells. “We will start as soon as the magistrate is available,” he said.

The three suspects that had not previously been named are former senior former Amathole district municipality and a Siyenza Group highly ranked employee.

A highly placed source confirmed to DispatchLIVE that former ADM CFO Nkosinathi Soga, Mpumelelo Shezi, the ADM director of engineering services and Siyenza head of operations, Lovemore Khativhu, will join former ADM municipal manager Chris Magwangqana, Siyenza Group bosses Bongani Mpeluza and Vuyani Gaga, former Siyenza CFO Busisiwe Kwinana, ADM former corporate services director, Lulama Taleni, the former acting CEO of co-operative governance & traditional affairs’ municipal infrastructure support agency (Misa), Ongama Mahlawe, current Misa CEO Ntandazo Vimba, in the dock on Friday.

They were arrested in simultaneous raids by the Hawks on Thursday in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.

They will face corruption, fraud and money laundering charges relating to a R600m toilet scandal – where they allegedly colluded and flouted normal procurement processes.

They are yet to appear as the court is still hearing other cases.

They were arrested in simultaneous raids by the Hawks on Thursday in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.

They will face corruption, fraud and money laundering charges relating to a R600m toilet scandal – where they allegedly colluded and flouted normal procurement processes.

They are yet to appear as the court is still hearing other cases.

“This is their first appearance, so they will be given the context of the docket and told the charges they are facing.”

The charges relate to the looting of millions of rands from the Amathole district municipality. Other suspects include the former ADM municipal manager Chris Magwangqana.

The suspects allegedly colluded to flout normal tendering when a multi-million rand sanitation tender was awarded to the politically connected and Siyenza Group in 2015.

Siyenza Group was reported to had been handpicked and awarded the tender to build ventilated improved toilets in areas like Butterworth and Kwelera.