NELSON MANDELA BAY - PRE-DAWN RAID SEES ACTING CITY MANAGER ARRESTED IN R13 MILLION CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION

 The Hawks on Friday morning arrested the acting city manager of Nelson Mandela Bay metropolitan municipality on charges of corruption linked to the city's housing department.

He was arrested in a pre-dawn raid at his home, Hawks spokesman Lloyd Ramovha confirmed, on suspicion of having taken R900 000 in bribes in a housing project that was initiated in 2014.

Ramovha said a second suspect, a woman, was also arrested in connection with the same investigation in the early hours of Friday. She is a private sector service provider in construction.

"We cannot name the suspects as they have not appeared in court yet, but we can confirm that an acting city manager was arrested this morning," he said.

The investigation concerns tender corruption relating to a project involving the construction of houses in and around the eastern coast city of Port Elizabeth.

"The tender irregularities are worth almost more than R13 million," Ramovha said. "It is alleged that the city manager received gratification of R900 000 from this service provider."

Ramovha said the investigation dates back to 2016, and the Hawks could not exclude that more arrests may follow. The housing project in question is still ongoing.

Both suspects were due to appear in the commercial crimes court in Port Elizabeth on Friday on charges of fraud and corruption.

"The acting municipal manager is appearing this (on Friday) morning along with the private sector service provider," Ramovha said.

via - IOL