The Priority Crimes Investigation (Hawks) along with the Asset Forfeiture Unit have secured a final forfeiture order against Bradley Slingers, the former Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Roads and Public Works in the Northern Cape.
Slingers, 58, was arrested on November 16, 2023, after a roadblock near Shell Ultra City on the N12 revealed a large sum of cash in his vehicle. A search of Slingers uncovered R200,000 in his possession, as well as three additional bags containing a total of over R679 000 in cash. It appears that the Hawks have been investigating National Department of Public Works officials for some time, and the road block was set up to clamp into the corruption syndicate happening at the DPWI.
Sources close to the situation have revealed to The Star that DPWI senior officials across the country take “cash gifts” from service providers in exchange of large tenders and projects, a scourge mostly prevalent in Gauteng, KZN and the Northern Cape.
Upon winning the bids, service providers or contractors would “bless” officials with bags of cash. The Hawks are believed to have been on Slingers’ tail for some months leading up to the arrest.
At the arrest Slingers could not answer where he got the cash.
DPWI top officials are said to be the Hawks radar and more arrest can be expected soon following several whistle blowers reports from within the department.
Slingers’ arrest comes amidst broader concerns about corruption within the department. Slingers' case is one of several high-profile incidents, including allegations against the Northern Cape Head of Department, Dr. Johnny Mac Kay, who faces charges related to contravening the Pension Funds Act.
The auditor-general, Tsakani Maluleke, has also criticised the department for failing to execute its mandate, incurring irregular expenditure, and not addressing supply chain management weaknesses. The department's inability to manage infrastructure projects, such as schools, has been highlighted, with Maluleke recommending that the provincial leadership capacitate the department to deliver on its mandate. In addition, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has called for decisive action against corruption, fraud, and maladministration within the provincial government, expressing concern over HOD MacKay remaining in his post despite facing criminal charges.
uMkhonto Wesizwe Party MP Andile Mngxitama has accused Minister Dean MacPherson of failing to act on alleged corruption and protecting criminality within the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure. Mngxitama claims that businessman Jean Du Plessis and his company SKG Africa have unfairly benefited from questionable contracts, generating over R500 million annually from dealings with the department. Mngxitama has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister MacPherson to suspend all contracts linked to Du Plessis and SKG Africa, citing a legal principle that individuals under investigation should not continue to receive government contracts.
“In private organisations and in government if someone is under investigation they naturally do not sit in positions linked to the point or office of investigation”
“An individual does not tender for more work when they are under serious investigation or a serious cloud, such as this. That must also be the case for the rich and the politically connected,” Mngxitama said.
SKG Africa through their legal representatives, Sim Attorneys, labelled Mngxitama’s accusations as “baseless”, asserting that the claims are without merit.
The Star