Nelson Mandela Bay announces new acting municipal manager

Hours after Nelson Mandela Bay Metro city manager Mvuleni Mapu was arrested by the Hawks on Friday morning over allegations of corruption and fraud involving a R14 million RDP tender, the metro moved swiftly and replaced him with Anele Qaba.

Acting Mayor Thsonono Buyeye said: “I have become aware of the arrest of Mr Mapu during the course of the morning. However, I have no knowledge about the allegations levelled against him, save those raised in the media. In this regard, I have instructed that an internal investigation takes place in order to establish the background to the allegations.

“In the interim, I have appointed Mr Anele Qaba to act as city manager, until I have spoken to Mr Mapu and until I am further informed on this matter.”

Mapu and local businesswoman Bulelwa Eunice Ntanga-Mkwakwi were rounded up by the Hawks in early morning raids on their homes.

Also read: Hawks arrest Nelson Mandela Bay official, businesswoman for alleged tender graft

They are accused of engaging in a corrupt relationship back in 2014 which saw the then-director of the metro’s housing department, Mapu, allegedly taking a bribe of R900 000 from Ntanga-Mkwaki.

The alleged bribe was in exchange for an RDP housing tender worth R12.8 million, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) charged in court on Friday.

It was not explained why the fraud and corruption case involves R14 million when the tender was worth R12.8 million.

The two appeared in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court on Friday, where they were each granted bail of R20 000 under stringent conditions.

Arrest

They have been placed under 24-hour house arrest and are barred from entering any municipal buildings. They were also warned against interfering with State witnesses.

NPA spokesperson Anelisa Ngcakani said: “An allocations committee, chaired by Mapu, was responsible for allocating work to contractors registered under the database.

“It convened during February 2014 and recommended the allocation of contracts to several contractors which included Jeke and Qabi Trading. Consequently, during March 2014, the company was awarded a R12.8 million contract for an RDP construction project in Port Elizabeth.”

Ngcakani said evidence revealed in January 2014, prior to the awarding of this contract, Ntanga-Mkwakwi had transferred R900 000 from her bank account into an Allan Gray platform account which bore an account reference in favour of Mapu.

The municipality was the developer for several RDP housing projects funded by the Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements. Potential contractors were required by the municipality to be registered on its database.

Ntanga-Mkwakwi registered her business during March 2012, said Ngcakani.

The case was postponed to 3 November.