MOKOPANE – A vehicle to the value of R1,4 million which belongs to a senior official at the Mogalakwena Local Municipality, was seized by the Hawks on Tuesday, 6 October following a court order issued by the Limpopo High Court in September.
NPA Regional Spokesperson, Mashudu Dzhangi said the vehicle is believed to be the proceeds of unlawful activities, namely extortion and money laundering and was registered under the name of the official’s wife.
The vehicle was seized following an application by the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in Polokwane for a Preservation of Property Order.
Dzhangi explained that the papers presented before court revealed that during 2017, a number of service providers of Mogalakwena Local Municipality were coerced into paying money to a motor dealership in Polokwane for the purchase of luxury vehicle. “The official reportedly told the service providers to pay money into the account numbers he had provided, in order for him to authorise the services they rendered to the municipality,” reads the NPA statement adding that the service providers paid an amount of R1,4 million to a dealership for the purchase of the said vehicle.
Dzhangi added that the Preservation of Property Order was obtained as a result of excellent co-operation between the NPA and the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigations (Hawks).
The Spokesperson of the Hawks, Capt Matimba Maluleke says the seizure of the vehicle is part of ongoing investigations into the allegations of corrupt activities at the municipality.
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“The Hawks received a tip-off about service providers who had deposited money into a motor dealership’s account for the official to purchase a vehicle of his choice, as gratification. It is further alleged that various companies were awarded contracts worth over R50 million by the municipality between 2017 and 2019.”
Preliminary investigations so far, he said, revealed that most of the tenders “were flawed and riddled with corruption”. Investigations into these allegations continue, Maluleke added.
Dzhangi concluded that this case reinforces law enforcements’ commitment to ensuring that no person should benefit from crime. “The NPA welcomes the order, and asset forfeiture remains an effective law enforcement mechanism to ensure that no person should benefit from crime and to ensure that crime does not pay.”
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