The Democratic Alliance (DA) caucus in KwaDukuza has welcomed a proclamation by President Cyril Ramaphosa authorizing a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe into alleged irregularities at the KwaDukuza Municipality dating back to 2018.
DA KwaDukuza caucus leader, Privi Makhan, said those that are still employed within KwaDukuza and in any other organ of state must be held fully accountable.
“The investigation relates to the irregular intervention of municipal officials in multiple tenders, among those, the controversial road rehabilitation panels,” said Makhan.
“We are calling on all those that are persons of interest to fully cooperate with the investigative process. In addition to this, the Municipal Manager, Nhlanhla Mdakane, must immediately present a report to full council, to appraise the new term of council on this investigation.”
The SIU investigation will focus on allegations of municipal officials improperly intervening in multiple tenders, including the controversial road rehabilitation panels.
The SIU has been granted the mandate to scrutinize corruption within the ANC-run municipality, as outlined in a government gazette signed by the president on Friday and later published online.
At the center of the probe are two major tenders: the KwaDukuza Mall Bulk Supply project, which involved the upgrade of a 33/11 KV industrial substation, and a 36-month road rehabilitation contract allegedly riddled with corruption.
According to reports, contractors involved in these tenders were forced to pay kickbacks to municipal officials, while some winning bidders allegedly funded political rallies and internal ANC factional battles.
The investigation was initiated after a whistleblower alerted multiple state agencies to suspected wrongdoing.
The municipality’s first full council meeting of 2025 is set for January 30.
This is not the first time the SIU has investigated KwaDukuza Municipality.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the unit examined allegations of improper procurement of personal protective equipment but cleared the municipality of any wrongdoing in early 2022.
Now, three tenders from 2018 and 2019—one for road rehabilitation and two related to electrical supply—will be scrutinized.
These contracts, worth tens of millions of rands, are under review to determine whether procurement processes were competitive, legally compliant, and free of misconduct.
According to the latest government gazette notice, the SIU will assess whether the awarding of these contracts adhered to legal requirements and procurement regulations.
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