270 million rand corruption case: 61 suspects still not charged
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on TimesLIVE
Sixty-one people linked to an alleged 270 million rand bribery and money-laundering case at uMngeni-uThukela Water have still not been charged six years after it was reported. South Africa’s prosecution service says a case has been registered and the Hawks are investigating, according to TimesLIVE.
South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has confirmed that a case has been registered concerning people referred for prosecution in an alleged 270 million rand corruption case at uMngeni-uThukela Water, according to the Sunday Times. The Hawks, a police unit responsible for serious crimes, said an investigation into the alleged offences was under way.
The final report of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), submitted to President Cyril Ramaphosa in June 2023, accuses Nishal Harribarran, an asset manager at uMngeni-uThukela Water, among others, of helping to steer contracts towards a network of companies and intermediaries. It refers in particular to a pipeline project whose cost allegedly included an additional 2 million rand, as well as the payment of 966,034 rand to Sunmac Trading, a company registered in his father’s name.
The SIU also says a filter-slab contract rose from 48.9 million to more than 124 million rand, with 59.7 million rand in additional expenditure. A chlorine contract awarded to Klomac Engineering reportedly rose from 75 million to 131.2 million rand before reaching nearly 200 million, including 132 million rand in additional expenditure, according to the SIU report.
Lawyer Evashan Pillay, who represents Harribarran and his father Rooplal Harribarran, said his clients had not been arrested and that no court had established criminal liability against them, the Sunday Times reports.
