
SIU freezes over R20M in assets linked to Transnet contracts
SIU spokesperson, Kaizer Kganyago
JOHANNESBURG - The Special Investigating Unit, working in collaboration with Transnet, has secured a preservation order to freeze more than R20-million worth of assets believed to be linked to irregular property valuation contracts.
Awarded between 2019 and 2022 the contracts are worth a combined R89-million.
The frozen assets include luxury vehicles such as Porsches and a Mercedes, as well as high-value properties in Johannesburg and Vanderbijlpark.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Maverick
6 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Manganese carrier truck driver held for allegedly trying to bribe Eastern Cape traffic officer
The driver of a manganese carrier truck was pulled off on the N10 in the Eastern Cape just outside Cookhouse on Friday, after he allegedly offered a traffic officer a bribe when she pulled him over for driving an unroadworthy vehicle. A young Eastern Cape traffic officer refused an alleged bribe of R1,500 by a manganese truck driver after she pulled the vehicle off the road for being in a dangerous condition. Eastern Cape Department of Transport spokesperson, Unathi Binqose, said the woman who arrested the driver was a young traffic officer recruited only in December last year. He said the truck, which was registered in the Northern Cape, was in a dangerous condition. Binqose confirmed that the truck was a manganese carrier. 'It was deemed a moving hazard with various defects ranging from a loose steering rack, loose wiring in the cabin and tyres that were [in poor] condition,' he said. He said the driver had offered the officer a R1,500 bribe, which she refused. She then proceeded to arrest the driver. Eastern Cape Transport MEC Xolile Nqatha applauded the officer for her 'act of bravery and absolute patriotism', putting public safety over personal gain. He said her actions would save lives. History of crashes 'The N10 road has seen a lot of crashes involving trucks with defects like this one, not only claiming lives, but also resulting in lengthy road closures,' Binqose said. In February 2024, a traffic officer, Sisanda Hadi, was knocked over and killed when she tried to pull over a manganese truck at the Kinkelbos weighbridge on the N2. In September 2023, about 17km before Cookhouse, a manganese carrier crashed into the vehicle of Middelburg businessman Calla Perry, killing him. The number of heavy trucks on the N10 passing Cradock has increased from 5,795 in 2021/22 to an estimated 15,000 trucks in the 2023/2024 financial year, according to information provided by Nqatha to the Eastern Cape Legislature. Manganese is transported by truck from mines in the Northern Cape and exported, mainly through the Port of Port Elizabeth in Gqeberha, where Transnet houses its main export facility for manganese in South Africa. In the past month, there have been at least two serious incidents involving heavy trucks on the N10. Two weeks ago, authorities had to struggle for eight hours to clear the wreckage and reopen the route after the N10 between Cookhouse and Nxuba [Cradock] was closed following a head-on collision involving two trucks. Last year, Nqatha said spot checks along the N10 were part of a road safety strategy. 'Corridor operations are conducted every month in collaboration with Northern Cape, focusing on heavy road freight. Multidisciplinary roadblocks are also conducted each quarter, focusing on heavy trucks. 'Traffic officers are deployed on a daily basis to patrol the N9 and N10, routes the heavy trucks are travelling. Speed measuring is conducted in certain spots on the N9 and N10 routes,' Nqatha said in response to a question in the Eastern Cape Legislature. DM


The Citizen
6 hours ago
- The Citizen
KZN premier summoned to appear before portfolio committee
KZN Premier Thami Ntuli has been summoned to appear before the Portfolio Committee on Office of the Premier, Community Safety and Liaison to give clarity on allegations that the youth manager in his office threatened to physically harm the former director general, Dr Nonhlanhla Mkhize. Portfolio Committee chair Mbali Frazer alleges that Mkhize's crime was to refuse to sign off an appointment letter related to the R100-million Youth Fund. ALSO READ: Embattled KZN director-general resigns 'We believe it will be an abdication of our responsibility not to allow the premier of the province to address these serious allegations in an appropriate platform,' said Frazer. 'We have written a letter to him requesting him to appear before the committee. As the committee responsible for playing an oversight role over the executive, we believe such allegations warrant our attention. 'The Office of the Premier has a critical role to play in terms of the co-ordination of the work of provincial government departments on service delivery. The destabilisation of the Office of the Premier in any form, including threats to physically harm a senior female civil servant, should be viewed in a serious light by all leaders of society across all political affiliations,' she said. The ANC Youth League strongly condemns the actions of Premier Thami Ntuli for allegedly shielding perpetrators of violence, particularly gender-based violence (GBV), within his administration. ANCYL KZN Provincial Secretary Lulama Mabude said they are appalled by these allegations. 'We fully support the Youth Fund initiative established by the former ANC premier, Numusa Dube-Ncube, to empower young people to thrive in business and contribute meaningfully to the economy. 'However, we categorically reject the misuse of these funds to benefit non-compliant applicants or those selected based on political affiliation. 'We demand an immediate halt to this process and call for a transparent, merit-based review to ensure funds serve their intended purpose of uplifting KZN's youth,' said Mabude. She added that the youth manager in question is alleged to have pressured Mkhize to approve these funds to benefit his political allies and associates, undermining the integrity of the Youth Fund. 'We will not tolerate government officials perpetuating GBV and escaping accountability. 'South African women and youth live in constant fear due to harassment and abuse, and the premier's office has failed to address these serious allegations,' said Mabude. Attempts to obtain comment from the Office of the Premier were unsuccessful at the time of going to print. Don't have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here: HAVE YOUR SAY Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. For news straight to your phone invite us: WhatsApp – 060 784 2695 Instagram – zululand_observer At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!


The Citizen
7 hours ago
- The Citizen
Kidnappings in Gauteng under scrutiny as SAPS task team takes down Mozambican kingpin
Kidnappings in Gauteng under scrutiny as SAPS task team takes down Mozambican kingpin Gauteng continues to be a hotspot for kidnapping-for-ransom cases, with dozens of abductions reported across the province since the beginning of the year. Several of these cases also occurred in the Carletonville area. In a recent major breakthrough, the South African Police Service (SAPS) Anti-Kidnapping Task Team tracked down a wanted Mozambican kidnapping kingpin to an apartment complex in Fourways, Johannesburg. The operation is part of an ongoing investigation into the kidnapping of a Pakistani businessman from Pretoria West, who remains missing. His family has received a ransom demand, and SAPS continues its search for his safe return. The high-risk tracing operation began at a residential estate in Carlswald, Midrand, where officers arrested two suspects and seized two vehicles — a luxury Mercedes-Benz and a silver Mitsubishi Pajero — believed to have been used in previous kidnappings. From Midrand, the investigation led the team to Fourways. Upon arrival, they came under fire and returned shots in a deadly confrontation. One suspect was fatally wounded during the shootout. He was later identified as 40-year-old Mauro Mucambe Junior, a fugitive wanted by Mozambican authorities in connection with several kidnapping cases. A warrant for his arrest was issued by the Maputo Police in August 2024. Police recovered an unlicensed firearm, 10 rounds of ammunition, four mobile phones, and four bank cards from the scene. The SAPS confirmed that since January 2024, the Anti-Kidnapping Task Team has arrested over 170 suspects involved in ransom-related abductions, rescued more than 100 victims — mostly in Gauteng — and recovered more than R1.2 million in ransom money. Over 40 vehicles used in the commission of these crimes have also been confiscated. This latest case also ties into the recent breakthrough in the murder investigation of Olorato Mongale. The same task team helped track down a key suspect, Philangenkosi Makhanya. Another suspect, Bongani Mthimkhulu, is still at large. SAPS reaffirmed its commitment to dismantling kidnapping syndicates operating in Gauteng and beyond, urging the public to report suspicious activity. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!