Four of the seven suspects – arrested in connection with the alleged fraud of R2.4 million in the contract to provide 40 shacks at Talana Hostel in Limpopo – will appear before Tzaneen Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
The four suspects who are members of the bid evaluation committee from the Housing Development Agency – were arrested in different parts of Johannesburg on Friday.
Three other suspects – who were arrested last Thursday – will make their second court appearance on Tuesday.
The shacks with a price tag of R64 000 each caused a public outcry.
Hawks spokesperson, Matimba Maluleke, says the suspects are facing multiple charges of fraud.
“The suspects who are between the aged of 35 and 43 vouched for Aventino Group CC company to construct the housing unit without the rally checking the validity of the documents submitted it is further alleged that the temporary housing unit do not adhere to the design and specifications the suspects will appear in the Tzaneen magistrate’s court on Monday to face multiple charge of fraud this brings the total number of suspects to seven.”
Two arrested for fraud in the R2.4 million contract to provide 40 shacks:
Meanwhile, the Limpopo government has sought to provide further details on the 40 shacks it has handed to the Talana Hostel dwellers in Tzaneen, which are said to be worth R2.4 million.
It was responding to a social media outcry, questioning the government’s reasoning behind building shacks instead of decent or permanent structures for the community.
Premier Stan Mathabatha flanked by the Acting Director General of the National Department of Human Settlements, Joseph Leshabe, hosted a press briefing in Polokwane and reiterated that the shacks were a temporary measure aimed at relieving overcrowding at the hostel.
He says government wants to build family units at the hostel.
Mathabatha has blamed his office’s communication unit as well as that of the Housing Department for the social media storm.
Housing MEC Basikopo Makamu says action will be taken to ensure that what they have termed as miscommunication is not repeated.
“As the MEC responsible for Cogta, I have identified the defects of communication within the department I am going to sit and be able to take action in terms of how we are going to proceed because I have realised how it costed the provincial government, the manner in which we miscommunicated with our public,” says Mathabatha.
Limpopo government provides further details on the shack project:
