• Mvuleni Mapu allegedly accepted a R900 000 bribe from Bulelwa Eunice Ntanga-Mkwakwai to secure a R12.8 million RDP tender.
• They were each released on R20 000 bail and placed under 24-hour house arrest.
• The NPA alleged the two formed a corrupt relationship in 2014 when Mapu chaired a tender allocations committee.
  

Nelson Mandela Bay acting municipal manager Mvuleni Mapu has been granted R20 000 bail after appearing in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate's Court on fraud and corruption charges related to a multimillion-rand housing tender.

Bulelwa Eunice Ntanga-Mkwakwai, who allegedly bribed Mapu to win a R12.8 million contract, was also granted R20 000 bail.

Mapu and Ntanga-Mkwakwai were arrested during separate early morning operations on Friday.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) alleges that, in 2014, while Mapu was the metro's human settlements head, accepted a R900 000 bribe from Ntanga-Mkwakwai in exchange for a R12.8 million tender, which was awarded to Ntanga-Mkwakwai's Jeke and Qadi Trading cc.  

Mkwakwai is the director and sole owner of the company.

NPA spokesperson Anelisa Ngcakani said: "An allocations committee, chaired by Mapu, was responsible for allocating work to contractors registered under the database. It convened during February 2014 and recommended the allocation of contracts to several contractors, which included Jeke and Qabi Trading. Consequently, during March 2014, the company was awarded a R12.8 million contract for an RDP construction project in Port Elizabeth."

Ngcakani said evidence revealed that, in January 2014, prior to the awarding of this contract, Ntanga-Mkwakwai transferred R900 000 from her bank account into an Allan Gray platform account, which bore an account reference in favour of Mapu.

The municipality was the developer for several RDP housing projects funded by the Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements.

Potential contractors were required by the municipality to be registered on its database.

Ntanga-Mkwakwai registered her business during March 2012, said Ngcakani.

It is not clear why the two are charged for a R14 million fraud when the tender was worth R12.8 million. 

The bail conditions stipulate that they be placed under 24-hour house arrest. They are also barred from entering all Nelson Mandela Bay municipal buildings for 30 days from today (Friday) and must not interfere with witnesses or investigation, Ngcakani said.

The case was postponed to 3 November.  

"Mapu and Ntanga-Mkwakwai have been charged with fraud as they allegedly contravened the municipality's Supply Chain Management Act. Mapu, in his capacity as the chairperson of the allocations committee, failed to disclose the financial interests and benefits he allegedly received from Jeke and Qabi Trading. Ntanga-Mkwakwai is accused of fraud as she allegedly failed to reveal that her company granted Mapu the R900 000 reward," added Ngcakani.

Asked for comment, the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality said it noted the latest reports of the arrest.

"The City is currently busy with consultations concerning the matter and, upon the completion of these consultations, a statement will be issued to give an update on the matter," said City spokesperson Mamela Ndamase.

The DA mayoral candidate and provincial leader Nqaba Banga said the party welcomes the arrest of Mapu, and said that it has been vindicated.  

Banga said the arrest supported the DA's opinion that Mapu was "a deeply compromised and corrupt individual".

"The DA maintains that our sustained pressure over many years has proven to be a contributing factor to his downfall and we believe that this is just the beginning of his troubles."

Banga launched a scathing attack on the ANC-led coalition in the metro. 

He said: "In May 2019, the ANC-led coalition of corruption reinstated Mapu and nine other suspended officials after pushing through a council decision to bring back controversial suspended officials. Mapu was subsequently appointed as the acting city manager in spite of disciplinary charges against him and a dark cloud of controversy which has hung over him for years."

Bhanga said it was clear that "the deeply compromised" Mapu was reinstated by the ANC-led coalition of corruption to further facilitate the ongoing looting of the City's coffers.

The DA had been critical of Mapu's recent appointment as acting city manager. 

News24 has previously reported that Banga raised the party's concerns over the acting municipal manager position with Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Eastern Cape Cooperative Governance MEC Xolile Nqatha and National Treasury.

"This is just another clear example of how the ANC-led coalition of corruption has been appointing unscrupulous individuals into key positions to further enable them to steal the City," said Banga.

News24 approached ANC Eastern Cape provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi for comment, but did not receive a response at the time of publishing.

His response will be added once received.