Joburg Market corrupt official arrested
10 March 2017
I am pleased to announce that one of the allegedly corrupt officials at Joburg Market has been arrested and appeared in the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court today.
He was released on R10 000 bail and the case has been postponed to 20 April 2017.
The remaining two suspects are on the run, but we expect their arrests to be effected in the coming days.
A report submitted last week by the City’s anti-corruption head, General Shadrack Sibiya, detailed theft, fraud and corruption amounting to over R7.5 million at Joburg Market.
This goes a long way to explaining how, while working as a city official at Joburg Market, the arrested individual was driving around in a Ferrari.
The report detailed how three officials at the market, alongside three suppliers, allegedly defrauded the City by misrepresenting the amount of various goods received via the market’s procurement processes.
Officials also fraudulently misrepresented the completeness of services rendered by some suppliers, causing substantial financial loss to the market.
One such case of misrepresentation cost residents over R1.8 million.
In another instance, the market overpaid R5 million to a supplier with whom employees of the market had business interests.
The three implicated officials have been suspended and will face disciplinary hearings in the near future.
The arrest follows the opening of a criminal case at the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation: Crime Investigation Unit.
I would like to commend the HAWKS for their swift action in effecting this arrest. I would also like to thank the City’s Anti-Corruption Unit, headed by General Sibiya, for their efforts in ensuring this investigation was concluded and for working together with the HAWKS and prosecuting authority to ensure that those who steal from our people and bring shame to the public service are apprehended and put behind bars.
I will not rest until this administration delivers the kind of clean governance the residents of Johannesburg have demanded and deserve. The days of past administrations turning a blind eye to shameless looting and corruption are over.
Actions speak louder than words and day by day we are proving that corruption is indeed public enemy number one in the City of Joburg
Statement issued by Cllr Herman Mashaba, Executive Mayor, City of Johannesburg, 10 March 2017
