Cops launch probe after whistleblower fingers R873m PPE contracts

Police have launched an inquiry into explosive allegations of corruption in the procurement of personal protective equipment
(PPE) at the SA Police Service’s supply chain management division in Silvertion, Pretoria.

An e-mail was sent to police top brass and a number of state entities, including the Special Investigating Unit, and media houses alleging corruption in the awarding of R873 million worth of PPE contracts to six companies.

According to the contents of the e-mail with the tip-off, which was also sent to national police commissioner Lt-Gen Khehla John Sitole, some of these companies had been registered for less than a year.

One of the companies named in the e-mail was awarded an R87 million contract a day after it was registered on police finance records.

The “whistleblower” wrote in the e-mail also distributed to various media houses: “I am writing this e-mail to report on the PPE corruption taking place at Saps [supply chain management] Silverton.

“There are companies that are not even a year old but received orders for huge amounts and no proper procedures were followed when appointing these companies.”

The e-mail also alleges that a R37 million order was authorised verbally, with no e-mail trail, and that three quotes were not sought as required by standard procurement practice.

“According to the standard SCM practice, three quotes must be obtained for evaluation before an order/appointment can be made. Well in this case, one company quoted and they got the order,” the e-mail states.

The e-mail named the four senior Saps officers at the Silverton supply chain management division allegedly involved in the corruption, stating that the six companies received between R60 million and R447 million for the supply of PPE.

National police spokesperson Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo said they were yet to get into contact with the original source of the e-mail because it had no contact number, but he said the allegations were too serious to ignore.

“What has happened is that we have launched an inquiry, the results of which will determine whether if there is a case for a criminal investigation,” he said.

Kaizer Kganyago, Special Investigating Unit spokesperson, said the e-mail address from which the tip-off was sent was run by an independent service provider which assesses tip-offs and passes these to them if they warranted investigation.

He said there was an active proclamation for PPE procurement investigations and that all related tip-offs would be looked into under this proclamation.

“The proclamation is already there. We will check if there is something to investigate. There is an open ended proclamation with regards to PPE procurement,” Kganyago said.

Government’s Covid-19 response has been rocked by allegations of corruption, including presidential spokesperson Khusela Diko, her husband, Thandisizwe, Gauteng health MEC Bandile Masuku and his wife Loyiso, embroiled in R125-million tender to supply PPE for the Gauteng government.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.