On Thursday, 29 July 2021, four former Nelson Mandela Bay municipal officers, three company directors and three juristic persons were granted bail by the Gqeberha New Law Court after being arrested on the same day for allegations of fraud, corruption and money laundering.
It is alleged that in 2014, Public Health Directorate within the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality awarded a tender to the service provider, Milongani Eco Consulting CC to do environmental impact assessment. The contract is reported to have been for a duration of three years expiring in July 2017. The tariff rate was R350-00 per hour. Futher allegations are that, within 24 hours of signing the contract an invoice of R1 million was immediately submitted and paid by the municipality. It is also reported that other numerous payments were made for services that were never rendered thus prejudicing the municipality cash of R 26 million. It is further alleged that even interns within the municipality with expired contracts were also paid out of this contract.
Mpho Steyn Nangambi (43) the representative of Milongani, Joram Mziwonke Mkosana (49) the Director of Environmental Waste Management Services which resorted under the Public Health Directorate Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM), Thabo Williams (45) employed as the Project Manager within the Public Health Directorate of the NMBM, Andile Wellington Tolom (51) an Executive Director in the Public Health Directorate of the NMBM, Vuyokazi Bazi (35) who was working as an intern within the Environmental Management Section of the NMBM, Thoneka Gloria Buti (50) the representative of 4 Sisters Trading Enterprise Cc, Rukaard Abrahams (31) the representative of Dankovista Pty Ltd and the late Mongameli Bobani (53) are reported to have defrauded the municipality the aforementioned amount hence their arrest and appearance in Gqeberha New Law Court on 29 July 2021.
They were released on R1 000-00 to R20 000-00 bail depending on their varying circumstances. The matter was remanded for28 January 2022.
