The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) on Wednesday confirmed the arrests of three people involved in personal protective equipment (PPE) fraud and corruption amounting to R5.9-million.

The Hawks, as the SIU is known, arrested Mpumalanga Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs deputy director Raymond Manzini, his brother Chris Manzini and director of Gatjeni Trading Moses Ndlovu in Mpumalanga, on Monday.

They appeared at the Mbombela Magistrates Court on charges of fraud and corruption and were released on R15 000 bail each. The matter is remanded to July 28 for further investigation.

The SIU’s investigation showed that Gatjeni Trading was solely requested to quote for the supply and delivery of PPE in March 2020. However, after the contract was awarded, Ndlovu approached Chris Manzini to take over the purchase without the approval of the department.

The investigation further revealed that Chris Manzini also approached his brother to provide funding for the purchase and delivery of PPE, in contravention of the provisions of Prevention and Combatting of Corrupt Activities Act, No 12 of 2004.

“Gatjeni Trading handed an invoice to Raymond Manzini, the financial provider, for the Department to effect payment. Immediately after payment was received, a significant sum of money was transferred to Raymond Manzini’s bank account,” the SIU said.