The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has welcomed the dismissal of a Mpumalanga Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport official implicated in corruption linked to the procurement of Covid 19 disinfection services during the National State of Disaster.

Jacob Bandile Ngcobo, who served as a State Accountant for Property and Facilities in the department, was dismissed following an SIU investigation that uncovered an unlawful relationship between him and a service provider that secured lucrative government contracts during the pandemic.

According to the SIU, the investigation found that Ngcobo had an inappropriate and corrupt relationship with Superia Services Trading, a company owned by Tshidi Suzan Sedibe.

The company was initially appointed in February 2019 to provide pest control services at government buildings in the Gert Sibande District Municipality. During the Covid 19 pandemic, Superia Services Trading also secured contracts to provide disinfection services.

Between July 2020 and September 2021, the Mpumalanga Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport paid the company more than R3.75 million for the disinfection work.

The SIU’s financial analysis revealed that shortly after the company received payments from the department, money was transferred to Ngcobo through cash send transactions.

Investigators found that between August 2020 and March 2021, Ngcobo received a total of R28,000 from Superia Services Trading.

The SIU said Ngcobo played a key role in selecting and appointing service providers, including Superia Services Trading, to carry out Covid 19 disinfection services.

Despite receiving payments from the company, he failed to declare the financial benefit, creating what investigators described as a clear conflict of interest and a breach of public service ethics.

Following its findings, the SIU referred the matter to the National Prosecuting Authority in November 2021 for possible criminal prosecution. It also recommended disciplinary action against Ngcobo and five other departmental officials.

Ngcobo and Sedibe have since been charged with corruption and are appearing before the Commercial Crimes Court in Mbombela.

Siu says the dismissal marks another milestone in efforts to hold public officials accountable for the abuse of public funds allocated during South Africa’s response to the Covid 19 pandemic.

In July 2024, the Mpumalanga High Court granted a preservation order allowing authorities to freeze assets worth approximately R52.6 million linked to an alleged corruption network involving 22 government officials, service providers and companies connected to the department.

The preservation order included the freezing of Ngcobo’s bank accounts, assets and bail money pending the outcome of legal proceedings.

The investigation forms part of the SIU’s broader nationwide probe into allegations of corruption, fraud, maladministration and irregular expenditure relating to Covid 19 procurement under Proclamation R23 of 2020.

The proclamation authorised the SIU to investigate procurement linked to the State’s response to the Covid 19 pandemic after widespread allegations emerged that emergency procurement processes had been exploited for personal gain.

Selby Makgotho, Spokesperson: Special Investigating Unit said the dismissal demonstrated that public officials who abused their positions for personal enrichment would be held accountable.

“The SIU welcomes the department’s decisive action to dismiss Ngcobo for abusing his position and unlawfully benefiting from funds intended to protect South Africans during the Covid 19 pandemic,” said Makgotho.

He further said “This outcome demonstrates the importance of collaboration between law enforcement agencies and accounting officers in ensuring that officials implicated in corruption are held accountable. We encourage all government departments and public institutions to act decisively on SIU recommendations to strengthen governance and protect public resources.”

The SIU said its mandate extends beyond investigating corruption and maladministration. In terms of the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act, the unit is empowered to institute civil proceedings to recover financial losses suffered by the State and to refer evidence of criminal conduct to prosecuting authorities.

Since the launch of its Covid 19 procurement investigations, the SIU has uncovered billions of rands in irregular contracts across national, provincial and local government institutions. The investigations have resulted in disciplinary action against public officials, criminal prosecutions, preservation orders and the recovery of public funds intended to support the country’s response to the pandemic.

The SIU said it remains committed to ensuring accountability, strengthening governance and protecting public resources from fraud and corruption.