dering, brought against them by the Hawks' Serious Corruption Investigation team.
The Arrests and Allegations
Tshuketana and his entity, Ribilwa Trading Enterprise, were arrested on 02 December 2024 in Midrand, while Williams was apprehended at his workplace the following day. Both arrests followed extensive investigations into irregularities surrounding tenders awarded in March 2020.
It is alleged that Ribilwa Trading Enterprise secured a tender to supply personal protective equipment (PPE) to Renosterberg Municipality without adhering to proper Supply Chain Management (SCM) procedures. Preliminary investigations also revealed that the company received multiple tenders in a short span of time, raising red flags about potential corruption.
Conflict of Interest and Kickbacks
The investigation further uncovered that Williams, a youth coordinator at Emthanjeni Municipality, received illegal payments totaling R178,900 from Tshuketana. These payments, referred to as "gratifications," were not disclosed to the municipality and were outside the scope of Williams' authorized activities.
Ribilwa Trading Enterprise, in turn, received payments amounting to R1,938,455 from Renosterberg Municipality for services rendered. These transactions have now been flagged as part of the larger corruption and money laundering scheme.
Sentences and Bail
In a separate October 2024 ruling, the Kimberley Specialised Commercial Crimes Court found Ribilwa Trading Enterprise guilty and issued fines amounting to R30,000 for the entity and R50,000 for Tshuketana. Tshuketana is required to pay R1,500 monthly until the fine is settled. The combined fine totals R80,000 and must be fully paid by 31 March 2025.
In the current case, both Tshuketana and Williams were granted bail of R10,000 each. The case has been postponed to 14 April 2025 for further hearings at the De Aar Regional Court.
Corruption in Supply Chain Management
This case serves as a reminder of the systemic corruption within municipal procurement processes. The awarding of tenders without adhering to SCM protocols undermines public trust and diverts essential resources away from communities. Investigators have vowed to intensify their scrutiny of irregular contracts, particularly those issued during critical periods such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
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