The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has welcomed a series of arrests, convictions and asset preservation orders linked to fraud in the Unemployment Insurance Fund’s Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS), with more than R27 million in stolen public funds now either recovered or safeguarded. The developments come as authorities intensify efforts to crack down on widespread corruption linked to COVID-19 relief funding that was meant to support struggling workers and businesses during the pandemic. In the largest case, three suspects appeared…

The Constitutional Court of South Africa has dismissed final attempts by two contractors to overturn findings against them in the controversial R40 million Beitbridge border fence project, bringing a years-long legal battle to a close. In judgments handed down this week, the apex court refused applications for leave to appeal by Profteam CC and Caledon River Properties, trading as Magwa Construction. The companies had sought to challenge earlier rulings declaring their contracts unlawful. The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) said it…

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) findings into the misuse of National Lotteries Commission (NLC) funds have drawn a response from media executive Makhudu Sefara, who has denied any wrongdoing and accused investigators of misrepresenting the facts. Sefara, the editor of the Sunday Times, was placed on “special leave” on Tuesday, hours after it was revealed that a company of which he was the sole director was linked to a lottery-funded project under investigation by the SIU. According to SIU, his…

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has scored a significant legal victory after the Special Tribunal set aside the controversial R85 million Mozambique border wall tender, in a judgment that sharpens scrutiny on government procurement failures and political accountability. At the centre of the ruling is the KwaZulu-Natal–Mozambique border barrier project, commissioned by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport as part of efforts to clamp down on cross-border crime, including the trafficking of stolen vehicles. Instead, the project has unravelled into yet…

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has secured preservation orders from the Special Tribunal to freeze assets worth millions of rand, as part of efforts to recover more than R19 million allegedly defrauded from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) through the COVID-19 Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS). The preservation orders relate to fraudulent claims amounting to R19,183,197.34 made by Nako Mang Trading Enterprise CC between 2020 and 2023. The SIU’s investigation found that the company allegedly misrepresented employment relationships to access…

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has secured a breakthrough in its efforts to recover public funds, signing an agreement with Rubicon Communications CC to repay nearly R2.7 million that was meant to fund a skills development programme for young South Africans. The agreement follows a forensic investigation into how money allocated by the National Skills Fund (NSF) was spent long before any training could begin, ultimately depriving 100 learners of a life-changing opportunity. According to the SIU, Rubicon Communications CC…

South African authorities have intensified efforts to clamp down on corruption within the country’s immigration system, with the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) warning that some officials have effectively turned the country’s borders into a “marketplace” where permits and visas were sold to the highest bidder. Speaking during an anti-corruption campaign at the Maseru Bridge Border Post on Tuesday, acting SIU head Leonard Lekgetho said corruption within the border and immigration sector has become a serious threat to national security, economic…

South Africa’s immigration system was turned into a “marketplace” where visas and permits were effectively sold, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) revealed on Monday in its interim report into corruption at the Department of Home Affairs. The report, presented by acting SIU head Leonard Lekgetho, paints a damning picture of a coordinated internal corruption network involving Home Affairs officials, intermediaries and foreign nationals. According to the SIU, adjudicators and facilitators within the department allegedly worked together to bypass official procedures,…

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has confirmed that it has not forfeited the value of several luxury vehicles linked to an alleged procurement syndicate under investigation, stressing that a preservation order remains firmly in place while the main forfeiture proceedings are still to come. This follows a recent ruling by the Special Tribunal, which declined to grant a final forfeiture order at this stage. The decision means the vehicles are not transferred to the state yet, but crucially, they are…

The National Lotteries Commission has welcomed the expansion of the Special Investigating Unit investigation into its affairs, saying it will allow law enforcement agencies the space and time to complete their work without interference. In a statement issued on 5 February 2026, the NLC noted Proclamation R293 of 2025, signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa, which amends Proclamation R32 and broadens the scope and timeframe of the SIU’s investigation into the commission. The amended proclamation empowers the SIU to investigate additional…