Mpumalanga Official Dismissed Following SIU COVID-19 Procurement Probe

Posted 17 July 2026 Written by Acts Online
Category Regulatory

Brought to you by SAnews: Under Proclamation R23 of 2020, issued in terms of the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act, No. 74 of 1996, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has finalized disciplinary recommendations leading to the dismissal of a state accountant in the Mpumalanga Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport.

The dismissed official, Jacob Bandile Ngcobo, served as the department’s State Accountant for Property and Facilities. An SIU investigation revealed an improper and corrupt relationship between Ngcobo and Superia Services Trading, a close corporation owned by Tshidi Suzan Sedibe. The entity was initially contracted in February 2019 for pest control services in the Gert Sibande District Municipality, but was subsequently awarded COVID-19 disinfection contracts during the pandemic state of disaster.

Between July 2020 and September 2021, the department paid Superia Services Trading more than R3.75 million. The SIU’s financial analysis established that the entity transferred R28,000 to Ngcobo via cash-send transactions between August 2020 and March 2021. Ngcobo, who played a central role in the selection and appointment of service providers, failed to declare these financial benefits, resulting in a direct conflict of interest.

Criminal Prosecution and Asset Preservation

The regulatory and legal consequences of the investigation include the following actions:

  • Criminal Charges: The SIU referred the matter to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in November 2021. Ngcobo and Sedibe are currently facing corruption charges before the Commercial Crimes Court in Mbombela.
  • Asset Preservation: In July 2024, the Mpumalanga High Court granted a preservation order freezing assets valued at approximately R52.6 million. The order targets an alleged corruption network involving 22 officials, service providers, and entities connected to the department, and specifically encompasses Ngcobo’s bank accounts, personal assets, and bail money.
  • Disciplinary Referrals: The SIU recommended disciplinary action against Ngcobo and five other departmental officials implicated in the procurement irregularities.

What this means for you, your business, or your clients

  • For yourself: No direct individual compliance obligations; however, professionals acting as independent auditors or legal advisors must remain cognizant of the heightened enforcement of public sector conflict-of-interest regulations.
  • For your business: Professional practices advising public sector suppliers must ensure that their clients’ internal compliance frameworks strictly prohibit and monitor any informal financial transfers to public officials, as these are increasingly flagged by SIU data analytics.
  • For your clients: Corporate clients bidding for municipal or provincial government contracts must implement rigorous disclosure procedures to declare any pre-existing relationships with departmental officials, thereby mitigating the risk of asset forfeiture and criminal prosecution under the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, No. 12 of 2004.

Originally published at https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/mpumalanga-official-dismissed-over-covid-19-ppe-corruption

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