A group of 26 people, accused of being involved in a fraudulent PPE contract, for the supply of latex gloves to the police in April 2020 as well as the procurement of plumbing material, appeared in the Palm Ridge court in Katlehong on Thusday.

The Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court postponed the case pertaining to the SAPS R8.5m PPE contract and the procurement of plumbing material to March 14 next year.

The case was initially enrolled as a R1.9m PPE tender for SAPS.

The accused were arrested for allegations of having caused a supplier to unduly benefit from the procurement of latex gloves in April 2020 for the SAPS nationally.

The corruption matter has since escalated to R8.5m with two further contracts amounting to R4.1m and R2m respectively and a plumbing material contract for R120 000.

The group faces charges of corruption, theft, fraud and forgery.

Arrests follow an investigation into the capture of the SAPS procurement and supply chain to aid front companies to score lucrative contracts and facilitate kickbacks to SAPS senior officials.

The matter was postponed for the outcome of the High Court application by accused one challenging the lawfulness of his arrest.