Calls for swift justice as Hawks carry out more arrests in DSW tender fraud
Tim Tyrrell said unless South Africans started to see convictions of high-profile individuals who provided the political cover for these alleged crimes to take place, public confidence in the criminal justice system would continue to decline.
THE organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) has called for swift action by the criminal justice system in dealing withe the latest arrests of eThekwini employees , councillors and their accomplices involved in alleged crimes of fraud and corruption.
This comes after a blitz by the Hawks’ Clean Audit Task Team (CATT) arrested a further four city councillors and three contractors for their alleged role in a R208-million tender scam involving Durban Solid Waste. The latest arrests join 16 other municipal employees, including former mayor Zandile Gumede, who have also been charged for their part in the DSW contract scam.
Councillors Nomthandazo Shabalala (ward 87), Nomusa Mthembu (ward 81), Sithenjwa Nyawose (ward 79) and Thembelihle de Lange (ward 85) appeared in the Durban Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday and were released on R5000 bail each. The three contractors who appeared in court with them were also released on R5000 bail. The accused will be back in court in April 2020.
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OUTA KZN Provincial Manager Tim Tyrrell said the Wednesday blitz by the Hawks’ Clean Audit Task Team (CATT) was welcomed but added that unless South Africans started to see convictions of high-profile individuals who provided the political cover for these alleged crimes to take place, public confidence in the criminal justice system would continue to decline.
“Citizens have a massive trust deficit with regards to the criminal justice system as too often high-ranking politicians escape serious censure for their involvement in serious financial crimes while junior or mid-level bureaucrats take the fall,” said Tyrrell.
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He said with the latest arrests being linked to the criminal matter involving former mayor Zandile Gumede, it was imperative that a “watertight case be presented to the court in order to avoid unnecessary delays to the start of the trial”.
“The successful conviction and sentencing of those involved is a must if we are to hold guilty municipal officials accountable,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hangwani Mulaudzi, spokesman for the Hawks said Wednesday’s arrests brought the total number of people implicated and arrested in the tender scame thus far to 22. He said one suspect was still being sought and the team’s investigations were ongoing.
The arrests were welcomed by opposition party leaders in eThekwini Nicole Graham of the DA and Mdu Nkosi of the IFP.
