By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Special Tribunal has ordered Hamilton Ndlovu and his associates to pay back R158-million scored in personal protective equipment (PPE) tenders awarded by the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS).
According to the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), the tenders, worth R172-million, have been declared invalid and unlawful.
“Frozen properties and funds belonging to Ndlovu and associates were forfeited to the state,” the SIU said in a statement on Tuesday. This after the SIU released the findings of its investigation in January that showed Ndlovu used a series of companies to compete for PPE contracts worth millions of rands.
In 2020, an internal report by the Special Investigating Unit uncovered serious acts of criminality in the awarding of the PPE contract.
It found that only around R15 million was actually used to purchase the required PPEs.
The SIU was then granted an order to freeze R42 million in assets belonging to Ndlovu.
Frozen properties and funds belonging to Ndlovu and associates have also been forfeited to the state.
A probe into the validity of the PPE tender awarded to Ndlovu and his companies came after he took to social media to flash his five luxury cars, estimated to have cost about R11 million, which he had bought in one go.
The fleet of vehicles included a Jeep Grand Cherokee, a Lamborghini Urus, and three Porsches.
After posting the vehicles online, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) received tip-offs from members of the public who alleged that Ndlovu and his companies’ wealth was derived from contracts to supply PPE to the NHLS when the Covid-19 pandemic gripped the country.
The Hawks then searched Ndlovu’s properties and NHLS offices, seizing several documents which were handed to the SIU.
While investigations to determine whether the contracts awarded to Ndlovu’s companies were legal, the Special Tribunal, sitting in Booysens, granted a preservation order prohibiting Ndlovu from disposing of his assets, money and properties pending the institution of review proceedings by the SIU.
The SIU and the NHLS then instituted a review application at the tribunal on 6 October 2021 against Ndlovu, Ndlovu Hamilton Holdings (Pty) Ltd, Hamilton Projects CC, and Feliham (Pty) Ltd.
They jointly wanted them to pay back R172,7 million to the state and have his properties forfeited by the state.