Free State Asbestos saga: Former Gauteng Human Settlements HOD arrested

A 56-year-old former senior government official in Gauteng has been arrested by the Hawks in connection with the Free State asbestos roof removal project.

Margaret-Ann Diedricks was arrested on Wednesday in Alberton, Gauteng, by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team based in Bloemfontein.

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Hawks Spokesperson, Christopher Singo, said it is alleged that in the period between 2014 and 2017 an irregular contract was awarded to a service provider for the eradication of asbestos roofs by the department of Human Settlements in the Free State.

“The suspect who was the Acting HOD of the department of Human Settlement in Gauteng also authorised the same service provider irregularly in Gauteng. She then fraudulently received an amount of more than R7 million from the service provider.”

According to Daily Maverick, kickbacks to Diedricks were made by Blackhead Consulting, one of the contractors involved in the asbestos removal project. Blackhead Consulting is owned by businessman Edwin Sodi.

Singo says the matter was reported to the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team for further investigation which culminated in the arrest of the suspect.

“The suspect is expected to appear before the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, whilst the other 12 are expected to appear before the Bloemfontein High Court on the 23 September 2022.”

This brings the number of accused in the matter to 17.

Among the accused is suspended African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General, Ace Magashule, former Mangaung mayor Olly Mlamleli and Sodi, who were arrested in November 2020 in connection with the 2015 asbestos tender amounting to R255 million.

The matter was postponed in February this year due to the pending extradition order aimed at bringing Magashule’s former personal assistant, Moroadi Cholota, home from the United States.

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Magashule faces 21 counts of fraud, corruption and money laundering.

He has previously argued that there is no case against him, accusing his political opponents of pitting the NPA against him.

Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane found that only R21 million was spent on the actual audit of asbestos roofs in the Free State, for which taxpayers coughed up over R250 million.

ALSO READ: Ace Magashule asbestos case: R250m contract ‘no small change’ – state