Nine people arrested in connection with a tender awarded for the accelerated sanitation programme dubbed "Siyenza" have each been granted R40 000 bail.

The second accused in the case was granted R10 000 bail. 

The 10 accused appeared in the East London Magistrate’s Court on Friday on charges of corruption, fraud and money laundering.

News24 confirmed on Thursday that CEO of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs’ (Cogta) Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA), Goodman Ntandazo Vimba, was among the group. 

According to National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Luxolo Tyali,  the "condition [around bail] is that they must hand over their travelling documents and request approval from the investigating officer if they intend to leave the country".

The group will return to court on February 5, 2020.

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks) arrested the 10 on Thursday, in a sweeping crackdown across the country, in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.

In a statement following the arrests, Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said: "The operation follows a complaint by the National Treasury after it transpired that the suspects allegedly colluded in accessing the Amathole District Municipality funds through the flaunting of procurement processes. Afterwards, they were awarded a contract for ventilated, improved toilets in the Eastern Cape.

"The Hawks' preliminary investigation discovered that over R600-million was to be awarded for the contract, of which R286-million [was already] paid to the suspects."