Top Official Arrested Over R21m In PPE Corruption
A senior official has been arrested in connection with an R21 million PPE corruption scheme.
The Hawks arrested a top official from the Department of Health on Friday in connection with R21 million in personal protective equipment (PPE) corruption during the Covid-19 outbreak.
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According to Captain Dineo Sekgotodi, 59-year-old Jabulani Rolland Nkosi was arrested by the Mpumalanga Hawks Serious Corruption Investigation unit for violating the Public Finance Management Act.
Sekgotodi said, “It is alleged that during the Covid-19 outbreak, while the suspect was still an acting head of the Department of Education, the department procured PPEs which were not classified under Covid-19 circular.”
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) referred the investigation to the Hawks before his arrest.
He also stated that, “During the investigation, it was established that the PPEs were irregularly purchased without following supply chain processes.”
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The total cost of the PPEs is said to be more than R21 million.
Once the top official was linked in the investigation, a warrant for his arrest was issued and executed.
According to Nkosi’s LinkedIn profile, he has been the Department of Health’s HR chief director since February of last year.
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He also served as acting superintendent-general of Mpumalanga’s Department of Education between February 2019 and January 2021, according to the document.
South Africa first imposed a national lockdown to combat the Covid-19 outbreak on March 23, 2020, putting Nkosi’s alleged involvement in PPE corruption between March 2020 and January 2021.
On Friday, the 59-year-old appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court and was released on R10,000 bail. The case has been rescheduled for April 20.
