The Limpopo High Court in Polokwane has reportedly been granted Suspended Mogalakwena Local Municipality Municipal Manager Morris Maluleke R100,000 bail on Friday, 13 November 2026, in connection with an alleged multimillion-rand municipal fleet management tender scandal.
Maluleke, 43, was arrested by the Hawks on 7 October 2026 following an investigation into alleged irregularities surrounding the municipality’s fleet management contract. He faces charges relating to fraud, theft, corruption and money laundering.
His release comes after the Mokopane Magistrates’ Court initially denied him bail on 27 October 2026.
His co-accused, 37-year-old businessman Lutchman Shanton, had earlier been granted R100,000 bail when he appeared before the Mokopane Magistrates’ Court on 17 September 2026. His case was then postponed to 3 November 2026 for further investigations.
As previously reported by African Times News, Shanton was arrested in September as part of the Hawks’ investigation into alleged financial irregularities involving a fleet management tender advertised and awarded by Mogalakwena Local Municipality in 2022.
The investigation centres on allegations that a contract initially valued at approximately R4 million resulted in payments of about R24 million. The broader investigation is probing potential financial prejudice of approximately R45 million to the municipality.
According to the State, Maluleke allegedly authorised payments exceeding the initial contract value. Investigators also uncovered an alleged R230,000 payment, believed to be gratification, into an account linked to a company of which Maluleke is reportedly the sole director.
The State further alleges that payments began in January 2023, while services were only rendered between April and May 2023, after the municipality’s Legal Division threatened to terminate the contract.
The investigation is being conducted by the Hawks under Operation Phunyuka Bam’phethe.
With both Maluleke and Shanton are out on bail, however the criminal proceedings and investigations into the alleged R45 million municipal scandal continue.
