Hawks arrest director-general in KZN premier’s office

The Hawks have arrested the director-general in the KwaZulu-Natal premier’s office, Nonhlanhla Mkhize.

Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Thandi Mbambo said Mkhize was arrested on Monday morning along with her 47-year-old co-accused on allegations of defeating the ends of justice and intimidation.

It’s understood that the pair were nabbed as a part of the Hawks’ operation looking into malfeasance at the bulk water utility Mhlathuze Water in KZN.

Their arrests bring to four the number of suspects arrested on charges of corruption, fraud and money laundering for being implicated in wrongdoing at the bulk water utility.

Mbambo said the chairperson of the Mhlathuze Water reported allegations related to the irregular appointment of a legal panel at the utility without supply chain management protocols being followed.

The appointment of the legal panel was in contravention of the Public Finance Management Act.

Investigations by the Hawks revealed that some senior officials were implicated in the irregularities, which resulted in the Mhlathuze Water board being “prejudiced by an amount of R37 million”.

“Following the investigation thereof and compilation of the forensic report, the chairperson of the Mhlathuze Water Board allegedly received a visit from an unknown person at her home claiming to be from the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and that he was sent by the senior manager in the premier’s office.

“The alleged individual threatened the chairperson with arrest and demanded the forensic report. He further insisted that the complainant must stop with the investigation.

“It later emerged that the said person was not from the National Intelligence Agency and that he was in cahoots with persons of interests implicated in the investigation,” Mbambo said in a statement.

The suspects are expected to appear in the Durban Magistrates’ Court soon, with more arrests expected.

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