A farm in Limpopo, which is part of an investigation into On-point Engineers, has been seized after the High Court in Pretoria granted a freezing order.
"The order [was granted on Wednesday and] was served this morning [Friday]," National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Makhosini Nkosi said in a statement.
It was served on Gwama Properties, which is registered as the owner of the Schuilkraal farm, and its sole director Lesiba Gwangwa.
The Asset Forfeiture Unit made the court application for the seizure of property based on an investigation by the Hawks and two independent reports into On-Point's activities.
The reports were compiled by Public Protector Thuli Madonsela and Price Waterhouse Coopers.
The court accepted the unit's submission that there were reasonable grounds to believe that the property was acquired with the proceeds of unlawful activities perpetrated against the department of roads and transport in Limpopo.
Gwangwa is also a director of On-point Engineers and faces charges related to tender fraud and corruption in the Polokwane Regional Court.
He previously appeared in court with axed ANC Youth League Julius Malema, who faces a charge of money-laundering and racketeering.
Several others, and four companies On-Point, Gwama Properties, Segwalo Engineering and Oceanside Trading were charged along with them. Gwangwa was released on R40,000 bail.
Court papers revealed that Malema allegedly benefited from corrupt activities amounting to R4 million and had "clear business ties" with Gwangwa.
The State charged that Gwangwa and three others misrepresented themselves to the Limpopo transport department, and a R52 million tender was awarded to On-Point.
Another R1 million gratification was paid for the securing of the tender.
Bid documents submitted by On-Point Engineers to the department contained several misrepresentations. Names given as executive and senior people at On-Point were for people not employed there. On-Point entered into secret agreements with service providers and in return received sums of money for these, the papers said.
Malema allegedly benefited from the tender by using it to fund a farm worth R3.9 million and to make a payment of R382,655 for a Mercedez Viano.
"...Most of the payments... were channelled through other entities... to pay for the farm," the charge sheet said.
It said R1 million was a part payment for a portion of the Schuilkraal farm by the Ratanang Trust.
Malema's Ratanang Family Trust was an indirect shareholder in On-Point and Gwama Properties, said court papers.
In October, Madonsela found that tenders awarded to On-Point were unlawful, and that the department did not follow proper guidelines in awarding them.
Source: The New Age
Showing posts with label Lesiba Gwangwa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lesiba Gwangwa. Show all posts
Friday, December 7, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Malema cronies looted Limpopo: report
Limpopo-based cronies of ANCYL president Julius Malema allegedly spent millions of rand of taxpayers' money on properties, cars and parties, a weekend newspaper reported. It claimed that engineer Lesiba Gwangwa was at the centre. Gwangwa was Malema's business partner and the sole director of On-Point and SGL Engineering Projects. The two companies were previously or currently owned by Malema and his Ratang Family Trust.
According to the Sunday Independent, both companies have scored more than R400m worth of known Limpopo municipal tenders since 2007. The companies are being investigated for tender fraud and corruption by the SA Revenue Service, public protector Thuli Madonsela and the elite investigating unit, the Hawks. The national government stepped in and placed five departments in Limpopo under administration last month after tender fraud brought the province to the brink of collapse. Madonsela has ordered the provincial roads department to suspend On-Point's participation in the tender awarding process. She is apparently looking into how Gwangwa allegedly forced contractors to sign secret back-to-back agreements which entitled his company to a share of the proceeds of the tenders it awarded. According to analysts quoted by the newspaper, President Jacob Zuma, was aware of what was happening in Limpopo, but was allowing the investigation to take its course rather than recalling the province's political leaders.
Political analyst Somadoda Fikeni told the newspaper that the ANC leadership would rather let the investigation expose links between the leadership in Limpopo and the tender irregularities.
"In that manner it would be seen as a technical administrative process that deals with governance and corruption issues without being seen as politically manoeuvred."
Source: Times Live
According to the Sunday Independent, both companies have scored more than R400m worth of known Limpopo municipal tenders since 2007. The companies are being investigated for tender fraud and corruption by the SA Revenue Service, public protector Thuli Madonsela and the elite investigating unit, the Hawks. The national government stepped in and placed five departments in Limpopo under administration last month after tender fraud brought the province to the brink of collapse. Madonsela has ordered the provincial roads department to suspend On-Point's participation in the tender awarding process. She is apparently looking into how Gwangwa allegedly forced contractors to sign secret back-to-back agreements which entitled his company to a share of the proceeds of the tenders it awarded. According to analysts quoted by the newspaper, President Jacob Zuma, was aware of what was happening in Limpopo, but was allowing the investigation to take its course rather than recalling the province's political leaders.
Political analyst Somadoda Fikeni told the newspaper that the ANC leadership would rather let the investigation expose links between the leadership in Limpopo and the tender irregularities.
"In that manner it would be seen as a technical administrative process that deals with governance and corruption issues without being seen as politically manoeuvred."
Source: Times Live
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
More tenders for Malema - company gets R3,2m from Polokwane
THE company that is co-owned by ANCYL president Julius Malema was recently awarded two tenders by the Polokwane municipality. Only last month SGL Engineering Projects, the company Malema co-owns with Lesiba Gwangwa, was awarded a tender for rural sanitation worth R2,2million.
Polokwane municipality spokesperson Simon Mokwatedi confirmed yesterday that the company had already started to do work in Feke village in GaMaja. He said after that it would proceed to Makgeng and Mountain View villages in GaMamabolo. The contract for the rural sanitation project was awarded last month and is expected to be completed at the end of May. “The contract entails putting up ventilated improved toilets for the villagers,” Mokwatedi said.
Asked if the company had produced a tax clearance certificate prior to its appointment, Mokwatedi explained that it was a standard procedure for any company wanting to get a tender to submit documents that were accompanied by tax clearance certificates. Another tender awarded to Malema’s company was that of a road in Bendor.
It was awarded in January. Mokwatedi said the company was appointed for the road contract at a new residential area and the tender was worth R1million. Mokwatedi said that the construction of the roads had not started yet as they were still at a planning stage.
Source: The Sowetan
Polokwane municipality spokesperson Simon Mokwatedi confirmed yesterday that the company had already started to do work in Feke village in GaMaja. He said after that it would proceed to Makgeng and Mountain View villages in GaMamabolo. The contract for the rural sanitation project was awarded last month and is expected to be completed at the end of May. “The contract entails putting up ventilated improved toilets for the villagers,” Mokwatedi said.
Asked if the company had produced a tax clearance certificate prior to its appointment, Mokwatedi explained that it was a standard procedure for any company wanting to get a tender to submit documents that were accompanied by tax clearance certificates. Another tender awarded to Malema’s company was that of a road in Bendor.
It was awarded in January. Mokwatedi said the company was appointed for the road contract at a new residential area and the tender was worth R1million. Mokwatedi said that the construction of the roads had not started yet as they were still at a planning stage.
Source: The Sowetan
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Malema's lifestyle sponsored by govt tenders
ANC Youth League president Julius Malema's lavish lifestyle is being bankrolled by lucrative government contracts awarded to his companies, the Sunday Times reported. Some of the multimillion-rand tenders awarded to Malema's companies were from his home province Limpopo, the paper reported. Citing official tender and government documents, the paper reported that Malema's companies were awarded more than 20 contracts, each worth between R500 000 and R39-million between 2007 and 2008. One of the companies, a small engineering firm, was awarded more than R130-million worth of tenders in just two years.
SGL Engineering Projects, which Malema co-owns with Lesiba Gwangwa, was awarded projects ranging from road and pavement construction to bulk water supply and upgrading cemeteries. While public documents reveal that some of the projects were completed on schedule, the majority of them were not, the paper reported.
Malema is believed to have used his share of the profits to finance two luxury homes worth about R4,6-million. Contacted for comment regarding the tenders by the Sunday Times, Malema said: "What gives you the power to ask me that question? Let me tell you, I do not owe you any answer, to be honest. I am not accountable to you ... I am accountable to the ANCYL and ANC. My organisations have never raised any concerns about those things". Malema went on to say: "There is no law that says politicians can't be businessmen". ANCYL spokesperson Floyd Shivambu declined to comment on the story, saying he hadn't seen the paper. "I can't comment on things I haven't seen even if you can explain [the article]. Call me on Sunday when I have seen the story," Shivambu said.
The ANC and the youth league have demanded a retraction and an apology from the Star newspaper for a report on Malema's lifestyle. "These reports are not only far-fetched, but they are also untrue as much as they are deceitful," the ANC and ANC Youth League said in a joint statement. "In our view they are meant to tarnish the good name and image of the ANC Youth League president."
The Star reported that Malema bought a three-bedroom home in Sandown, Johannesburg, for R3,6-million in December last year. He had another home in Polokwane for which he paid R1-million. The ANC and ANCYL also dismissed as untrue the newspaper's claim that Malema earned a salary of about R20 000 a month, but did not reveal his actual salary.
ANC spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi said in a telephonic interview that the party did not dispute that Malema used a number of cars. However, Mnisi said Malema had only "one car in his name". According to the Star, Malema owns a black Mercedes-Benz AMG, which retails at R734 000, but has been seen driving an Aston Martin and a red Range Rover Sport. He attended a University of the Witwatersrand lecture on Thursday in a brand-new white Range Rover -- with no number plates -- which sells for R1,2-million.
The ANC and ANCYL have threatened to take the matter to the press ombudsman unless the newspaper publicly apologises to Malema. "We will support any action on the side of the president of the [youth league] Comrade Julius Malema against the newspaper in defence of his name, image and integrity. "It is very unfortunate that a newspaper as reputable as the Star would stoop so low by reporting so inaccurately about the personal affairs of any person including Comrade Julius Malema ... We will also want to be provided reasons, through the apology that we are demanding, as to the actual intentions of the Star newspaper and its reporter of putting to the public so inaccurate information bordering on defaming the youth league president."
Source: Mail & Guardian
SGL Engineering Projects, which Malema co-owns with Lesiba Gwangwa, was awarded projects ranging from road and pavement construction to bulk water supply and upgrading cemeteries. While public documents reveal that some of the projects were completed on schedule, the majority of them were not, the paper reported.
Malema is believed to have used his share of the profits to finance two luxury homes worth about R4,6-million. Contacted for comment regarding the tenders by the Sunday Times, Malema said: "What gives you the power to ask me that question? Let me tell you, I do not owe you any answer, to be honest. I am not accountable to you ... I am accountable to the ANCYL and ANC. My organisations have never raised any concerns about those things". Malema went on to say: "There is no law that says politicians can't be businessmen". ANCYL spokesperson Floyd Shivambu declined to comment on the story, saying he hadn't seen the paper. "I can't comment on things I haven't seen even if you can explain [the article]. Call me on Sunday when I have seen the story," Shivambu said.
The ANC and the youth league have demanded a retraction and an apology from the Star newspaper for a report on Malema's lifestyle. "These reports are not only far-fetched, but they are also untrue as much as they are deceitful," the ANC and ANC Youth League said in a joint statement. "In our view they are meant to tarnish the good name and image of the ANC Youth League president."
The Star reported that Malema bought a three-bedroom home in Sandown, Johannesburg, for R3,6-million in December last year. He had another home in Polokwane for which he paid R1-million. The ANC and ANCYL also dismissed as untrue the newspaper's claim that Malema earned a salary of about R20 000 a month, but did not reveal his actual salary.
ANC spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi said in a telephonic interview that the party did not dispute that Malema used a number of cars. However, Mnisi said Malema had only "one car in his name". According to the Star, Malema owns a black Mercedes-Benz AMG, which retails at R734 000, but has been seen driving an Aston Martin and a red Range Rover Sport. He attended a University of the Witwatersrand lecture on Thursday in a brand-new white Range Rover -- with no number plates -- which sells for R1,2-million.
The ANC and ANCYL have threatened to take the matter to the press ombudsman unless the newspaper publicly apologises to Malema. "We will support any action on the side of the president of the [youth league] Comrade Julius Malema against the newspaper in defence of his name, image and integrity. "It is very unfortunate that a newspaper as reputable as the Star would stoop so low by reporting so inaccurately about the personal affairs of any person including Comrade Julius Malema ... We will also want to be provided reasons, through the apology that we are demanding, as to the actual intentions of the Star newspaper and its reporter of putting to the public so inaccurate information bordering on defaming the youth league president."
Source: Mail & Guardian
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