MAC’s Ters loot clawback starts to bear fruit

The Multi-Agency Centre (MAC), established in August by President Cyril Ramaphosa to clamp down on Covid-19 Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) Temporary Employer Relief Scheme (Ters) funds theft, has recouped about R3.7 billion.

The better part of the Covid-19 news cycle has been dominated by unashamed and brazen theft of Covid-19 emergency funds and personal protective equipment-related (PPE) corruption, which Ramaphosa lamented as “an unforgivable betrayal to millions of South Africans”.

Corruption Watch warned as early as March of the vulnerabilities in the emergency procurement measures, noting that the R500 billion stimulus package presented a fine opportunity for greedy officials to dip their hands into the Covid-19 cookie jar.

At least R10.3 billion in alleged irregular PPE contracts are under the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) microscope, the corruption-busting unit’s head, Andy Mothibi, said last month.

Within a month of its establishment, MAC – made up of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation or Hawks, SIU, Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) and National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigative Directorate – had netted over 14 people for corruption.

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Hawks spokeswoman Colonel Katlego Mogale said: “This intervention is meant to deal with fraud and corruption relating to Covid-19 Ters funding.

“The purpose of the MAC is meant to be more responsive in working and producing quality intelligence and passing it on in a timely manner with the goal to improve the outcomes of investigating corruption.”

Those arrested included a pensioner, 62, from Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria, who became an instant millionaire with a R4.7 million UIF payout meant for the employees of a company he previously worked for.

According to police, the pensioner used the reference number of his previous employers to apply for his UIF payout.

MAC managed to recover R4.6 million after his account was frozen.

In July, the Hawks arrested Tshepang Phole, Taetso Zulu, Tsietsi Godfrey Mojela, Itumeleng Charlene Masoko and Nchimane Masoko in predawn raids in Soshanguve, Atteridgeville and Mamelodi in connection with a R5.7 million UIF fraud.

Hawks and FIC agents had traced the money from the UIF into the bank account of Phole, a factory worker whose banking details were mysteriously swapped with those of his employer, resulting in the Covid-19 relief funds meant for 1 400 employees being paid into his account.

Among those arrested and charged for alleged Covid-19 Ters fraud were Sergeant Thokozane Mchunu from the Durban Central Tactical Response Team and Sergeant Nqobile Mzimela, who was attached to Durban Tracking Team as well a civilian in connection with R692 000 that was meant to be paid into the account of Durban-based National Adhesive Distributors CC, but was instead paid into a bank account in Mchunu’s name.

– siphom@citizen.co.za

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