SIU welcomes the appearance of four members of SANDF at the military court on allegations of R273 million PPE fraud and corruption

26 September 2022

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) welcomes the appearance of four members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) at the military court on allegations of personal protective equipment (PPE) fraud and corruption of over R273 million.

Lieutenant Dimakatso Modise, Lieutenant Colonel Vivian Seadimo Peu, Captain Mbomolelo Avroline Tshikosi and Leading Seaman Suzen Jiane appeared before the Military Court on Friday, 23 September 2022, on charges of fraud and corruption related to the procurement of PPE items such as masks and gloves for members of the SANDF during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The court appearance of Modise, Peu, Tshikosi and Jiane comes after an SIU investigation, which revealed that SANDF irregularly awarded PPE contracts to five companies to the sum of R273 500 000 between May and August 2020.

Evidence from the SIU probe shows that the list of service providers was predetermined and some of the PPE items were delivered before approval, thus deviating from normal supply chain management processes. Furthermore, the SIU investigation revealed that the procurement process followed by the SANDF to procure PPE related items was not fair, transparent, equitable, competitive, or cost effective and thus contravened the provisions of Section 217(1) of the Constitution.

The SIU was mandated through the issuance of Proclamation No. R. 23 of 2020, to investigate the affairs of all State institutions in respect of the procurement or contracting for goods, works and services, during, or in respect of the National State of Disaster, by or on behalf or State institutions.

The court appearance of Modise, Peu, Tshikosi and Jiane is a continuation of the implementation of the SIU investigation outcomes and consequence management to recover assets and financial losses suffered by State institutions and to prevent further losses, and to hold them accountable.

The SIU will institute a civil action in the Special Tribunal to review and set aside the contracts, and to recover financial losses suffered by the State and SANDF as result of corruption and negligence. In line with the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act 74 of 1996, evidence pointing to criminal conduct is referred to the National Prosecuting Authority for further action.

Issued by Kaizer Kganyago on behalf of Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, 26 September 2022