Former Moretele council boss arrested for R250 million irregular IT tender

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has welcomed the arrest of a former municipal manager at the Moretele Municipality in North West over an irregular R250 million IT tender.

Theletsi Roger Nkhumise was arrested on Friday and appeared at Moretele Regional Court on the same day.

The former municipal boss faces charges of contravening the municipal Finance Management Act and the irregular awarding of a multi-million Rand IT tender.

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The SIU on Monday said Nkhumise was arrested after Flame IT strategy was hired to render services at the municipality.

“Nkhumise is accused of unlawfully appointing Flame IT Strategy to render ICT services to the Moretele Municipality to the tune of approximately R215 million,” read the SIU statement.

According to the SIU, his arrest emanated from an investigation they conducted into the awarding of the IT tender.

The IT company was paid R64 million by Madibeng Municipality

“The arrest of Nkhumise follows an investigation conducted by the SIU, which revealed that the municipality increased the scope of work with two addendums to the original contract without following processes governing municipal procurement of goods and services,” the statement read.

The investigations further discovered that Moretele paid way more than what another municipality had paid Flame IT for the same services.

“SIU investigation revealed that the price from that of the original contract between Madibeng Municipality and Flame IT are definitely not in sync with the pricing between Moretele Municipality and Flame IT.”

Madibeng municipality paid Flame IT R64 million compared to R250 million, Moretele municipality paid the IT company for the same services.

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