Hawks probe Zuma’s new minister of state security for alleged corruption – report

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation – better known as the Hawks – is reportedly investigating allegations of fraud and corruption against newly appointed State Security Minister Bongani Bongo, Sunday Times reports.

According to the report, the probe relates to the minister’s time when he was serving as the head of legal services in the department of human settlements in Mpumalanga back in 2012.

It is reported that, the acting head of the Hawks Lieutenant-General Yolisa Matakata reportedly revealed this in reports submitted to the police ministry – as part of routine updates on serious investigations – that the unit was investigating Bongo days after President Jacob Zuma appointed him as his new spy boss.

Bongo replaced David Mahlobo as the state security minister, who has been moved to the energy ministry, in Zuma’s 11^th Cabinet reshuffle since taking office in May 2009.

“According to one of the reports, R300,000 was paid into the account of BMW Sandton as a deposit towards the purchase of a sport utility vehicle that was registered in the name of Bongo’s brother, Joel, although tracker records showed it was regularly used by the minister, who also used the car to claim for official kilometres from the human settlements department,” the report stated.

It is alleged that the R300,000 payment may have been a reward from companies that benefited from Bongo’s influence when the Mpumalanga human settlements department purchased three farms for R123-million.

There has also been questions raised over alleged breaches of regular procurement processes said to be at Bongo’s instruction.

The minister failed to respond to detailed questions, telling Sunday Times he had always conducted himself lawfully.

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