The City of Johannesburg claims it never received 500 desktop computers that they paid R6-million for in 2014, and will now continue investigations into the matter with possible arrests in the near future.
Executive Mayor Herman Mashaba said the computers were ordered by the group information communication technology department and that preliminary investigations into the matter have revealed that a City official was paid
R1 million by the service provider for securing the deal for them.
“GFIS [Group Forensic and Investigation Service] received a tip-off from a member of the public who is closely linked to the service provider that while she was working at the company the City placed an order for 500 desktop computers,” Mashaba said.
A search and seizure operation was conducted on 30 January by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) and officials of Group Forensic and Investigation Service (GFIS) at the offices of the service provider.
“About 37 computers worth R750 000 belonging to the City were seized during a joint operation.”
It is alleged that most of the computers were sold to other clients and the 37 that was seized was used by the service provider’s staff members, Mashaba said.
“When the team arrived at the property, they found one employee removing serial numbers from the boxes of the cartridges which had names of other municipalities and government departments.”
Lucky Sindane, GFIS director for strategic stakeholder management, said the seized property had provided evidence for them to make arrests.
“There will be arrests made within the next couple of days,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Hawks’ acting national head, Lieutenant General Yolisa Matakata has voiced her concern about the alarming rate at which public officials were continually being found to be in conflict with the law.
From 1 November last year to date, about 92 officials of different government entities across all the provinces have been arrested by the Hawks for various offences which vary from corruption and armed robbery to theft.
“We want to warn those who think they can beat the system and continue to be tempted to transgress, we will make sure they are caught and severely dealt with through our competent justice system,” said Matakata.
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