Nonhlanhla Mkhize, the director-general in the office of the premier in KwaZulu-Natal. Picture: Twitter/ @kzngov
The director-general (DG) in the KwaZulu-Natal premier’s office, Nonhlanhla Mkhize, on Tuesday is due to appear in the Durban Magistrates’ Court.
Mkhize was arrested by the Hawks on Monday, on allegations of defeating the ends of justice and intimidation along with a 47-year-old alleged accomplice.
The 58-year-old is accused of allegedly threatening the board of bulk water supplier Mhlathuze Water into stopping its investigations into financial irregularities at the utility.
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The chairperson of the board had reported to the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit allegations related to the irregular appointment of a legal panel at the utility without supply chain management protocols being followed.
Following investigations, the Hawks revealed that some senior officials at the Mhlathuze Water board were implicated in the alleged irregularities, amounting to at least R37 million of fraud.
Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Thandi Mbambo said when the forensic report was completed, the chairperson of the Mhlathuze Water board allegedly received a visit from an unknown person at her home.
The person claimed to be from the now defunct, National Intelligence Agency, and that he was sent by the senior manager in the KZN premier’s office.
The alleged individual threatened the chairperson with arrest and demanded the forensic report. He further insisted that the complainant must stop the investigation into the alleged irregularities.
Mbambo said it later emerged that the said person was not from the National Intelligence Agency, and that he was in cahoots with persons of interest implicated in the forensic report.
This ultimately resulted in Mkhize’s arrest on Monday, along with three other people accused of working with her.
Two of the suspects allegedly implicated in malfeasance at Mhlathuze Water were arrested on charges of corruption, fraud and money laundering.
The Hawks said more arrests were imminent related to the case.
Meanwhile, the office of KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube refused on Monday to comment on Mkhize’s arrest.
Dube-Ncube’s office said on Twitter the matter was in the hands of law enforcement authorities.
“Respectfully, at this stage, the Office of the Premier is not in a position to make any comment on the matter as it is in the hands of law enforcement authorities.”
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