Man arrested for attempting to bribe SIU member no stranger to state tenders

The Mpumalanga nightclub owner busted for allegedly trying to bribe a corruption-busting unit investigator is a director of at least three companies, one of which has often been on the receiving end of tenders in the province.

The Citizen can reveal that Mpendulo Sipho Mapalala, 31, co-owns the upmarket Zero13 Lifestyle restaurant and club with Magejeza Shungube in the suburb of Riverside Park in Mbombela. His nighclub was once the source of a viral video, after a group of women were filmed apparently unable to pay a R37 340 bill, after a night of partying hard.

Mapalala is also the sole director of Amanyandzeni (Pty) Ltd. In 2018 the company was awarded a R1.9-million tender to upgrade a vehicle testing station for Nkomazi Local Municipality in Ehlanzeni district. In the same year, the company scored another tender from the provincial department of public works, roads transport for general maintenance and upgrading of education and health facilities in the Bohlabela District.

Mapalala is out on R10 000 bail for allegedly trying to pay a Special Investigating Unit investigator R50 000 to quash an investigation into three public works, roads transport department officials who are being probed for alleged corruption involving R4.8 million worth of personal protection equipment.

Pest control contract ‘tweaked’ to accommodate Covid graft

Investigations revealed how the company’s initial contract to provide pest control services to government offices in 2017/18 was tweaked to include disinfection services when Covid struck in March last year.

The company received multiple payments amounting to R4.8 million, with the first payment of R1,3 million made in July 2020 and payments amounting to R3.5 million following.

Investigations have revealed how, immediately after the first payment, large amounts were transferred to various entities and individuals.

The SIU has traced some of the money to a law firm, who had used it to purchase a property to the value of R2.2 million and registered it in the name of a daughter of one of the officials.

According to police, Mapalala, who is also a director in Mavukahlabe Solutions, Organize76 and Impilwende Trading, is the brother of one of the supply chain management officials investigated by the SIU in the connection with the PPE fraud.

It was after the SIU questioned those involved in the matter that the trio realised that the unit was closing in and allegedly sent Mapalala to bribe an investigator.

The arrest

The plan backfired.

According to Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale, Mapalala contacted the investigator and requested a meeting. At this meeting, Mapalala allegedly requested the SIU official to make the case disappear and an amount was agreed upon.

He was busted when he handed over the money and another R63 000 in cash was found on him.

Kaizer Kganyago, SIU spokesperson, said the names of the officials or that of the company could not be revealed as they were yet to be formally served.

“All I can say is they are all in the supply chain management,” he said.

With 89 PPE contracts to the value of R391-million currently under the SIU scrutiny and 208 contracts to the value of R97-million finalised, Mpumalanga is the third biggest contender in PPE corruption after Gauteng and Limpopo.

The SIU has committed to conclude ongoing PPE investigations to the value of R7.6 billion by end of August 2021. siphom@citizen.co.za