Corruption FILES: Former acting NMB municipal manager in court

The fraud and corruption trial of Mvuleni Norman Mapu, the former Acting City Manager of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and Bulelwa Eunice Ntanga-Mkwakwi, a local businesswoman kicked off in the Port Elizabeth Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Monday. 

The trial has been set down to proceed until Friday, 15 October 2021.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Anelisa Ngcakani said the pair had been arrested in August 2021, while Mapu was the acting city manager. They were each released on R20 000 bail in the Port Elizabeth Magistrates Court at the time.

“It is alleged that Mapu and Ntanga-Mkwakwi entered into a corrupt relationship in 2014. Mapu allegedly accepted a R900 000 bribe from her in exchange of awarding her business with a R12.8 million contract,” Ngcakani said.

Mapu was the Director of the municipality’s housing department in 2014. Ntanga-Mkwakwi on the other hand was the sole member of Jeke and Qadi Trading Close Corporation.

“The Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements funded several RDP housing projects in Gqeberha. The municipality acted as the developer for these projects and potential contractors were required by the municipality to be registered on its database. Ntanga-Mkwakwi registered her business during 2012,” 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 that included Jeke and Qabi Trading. Consequently, during March 2014, the company was awarded a R12.8 million contract for the RDP construction project in Gqeberha,” Ngcakani said.

Ngcakani  said that the state had alleged that during January 2014, prior to the awarding of this contract, Ntanga-Mkwakwi had transferred R900 000 from her bank account into an Allan Gray platform account, bearing an account reference in favour of Mapu. 

“Mapu allegedly never declared receipt of the payment to the municipality,” Ngcakanis said.  

Ngcakani said that Mapu and Ntanga-Mkwakwi had been charged with corruption because Mapu, had allegedly accepted a bribe of R900 000 from Ntanga-Mkwakwi in exchange for him abusing his position of authority to ensure that Jeke and Qabi Trading was awarded the R12.8 million contract. 

Ntanga-Mkwakwi on the other hand has been charged as she allegedly bribed a public official in the corruption matter, Ngcakani said.

Mapu and Ntanga-Mkwakwi have been charged with fraud for allegedly contravening the municipality’s Supply Chain Management Act. 

Mapu, in his capacity as the chairperson of the allocations committee, had failed to disclose the financial interests and benefits he had allegedly received from Jeke and Qabi Trading. Ntanga-Mkwakwi is accused of fraud as she allegedly failed to reveal that her company granted Mapu the R900 000 reward.