1 500 company directors doing business with state received R350 grant: AG

Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke says 1 500 directors of companies doing business with the state have received the special social grant of R350.

Maluleke was presenting the updated findings of the second COVID-19 funds audit to the media in Pretoria on Wednesday.

She says all the cases have been referred to the fusion centre which was established to investigate and prosecute allegations of corruption related to the procurement of COVID-19 materials.

Maluleke says, “It’s unusual for a director of a company that’s active should need to benefit out of that R350. It needs some investigation and some recovery if that must happen.”

She elaborates on her findings regarding the special social grant of R350:

PPE

She has slammed government departments for poor record-keeping and management of COVID-19 Relief Fund.

Maluleke has published the second report of her office’s investigation into the management of the R500 billion COVID-19 Relief Fund, intended to provide relief to distressed citizens and businesses.

The report makes damning findings on the disbursement of relief grants and the procurement of Personal Protective Equipment.

She outlines issues found in PPE contracts:

UIF fraud

The UIF says they are expecting more arrests in the temporary relief fund fraud case involving the owner of Impossible Services Company.

Thabo Simbini appeared briefly in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday.

His case was postponed to the 29th of next month for further investigations.

The National Prosecuting Authority said Simbini claimed through his company, Impossible Services, that the employment of 6647 employees had been terminated in October.

However, the company had only one employee, Simbini alone. Impossible Services was paid out more than R110-million based on dubious claims.

He allegedly used people’s IDs fraudulently to claim UIF and relief benefits without their knowledge. The sting operation was arranged following a tip-off regarding Simbini’s activities.

In the video below, UIF introduces new measures to prevent fraud