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SIU Wins Court Battle to Recover R4.73 Million from Mpumalanga PPE Supplier
A Fresh Blow Against COVID-19 Corruption
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has scored another win in South Africa’s long fight to reclaim public funds lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. This time, the watchdog has secured a court order to recover profits from Tepa Trading and Projects (Pty) Ltd, a company found to have benefited unlawfully from a R4.73 million PPE contract issued by the Mpumalanga Department of Health at the height of the pandemic.
The Special Tribunal’s ruling, handed down on 30 October 2025, declared the department’s 2020 appointment of Tepa Trading unconstitutional, unlawful, and invalid. The deal in question involved the supply of 220,000 three-ply surgical masks, a contract now firmly under the microscope for breaching public procurement laws.
How the Deal Unravelled
According to SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago, the investigation uncovered serious irregularities. The contract was allegedly approved by an official who did not have the financial authority to sign off on it. The procurement process also failed to meet the constitutional standards of being fair, transparent, and competitive.
These findings stem from the SIU’s work under Proclamation R.23 of 2020, which authorised investigations into the misuse of COVID-19 relief funds across all levels of government.
The Tribunal has since ordered Tepa Trading to provide a full, audited financial report within 30 days, detailing all income and expenditure related to the mask contract. This will determine how much profit the state is entitled to reclaim. The company must also cover the SIU’s legal costs.
A Warning to Wrongdoers
Kganyago described the judgment as a “critical outcome” in the SIU’s broader campaign to clean up public finances. “It sends a clear message that suppliers who flout procurement laws have no right to profit from the state,” he said.
He added that any evidence of criminal activity uncovered during the probe will be handed to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for further action.
The SIU continues to use its powers under the SIU Act to pursue civil recoveries and ensure that funds lost to fraud and maladministration are returned to the public purse.
A Wider Pattern of Accountability
This ruling forms part of the SIU’s ongoing effort to address the misuse of emergency funds during the national state of disaster. Since 2020, the unit has investigated hundreds of PPE contracts worth billions, exposing how rushed procurement processes were often manipulated for personal gain.
While South Africa has moved beyond the pandemic, the financial scars of that era are still being addressed. Each tribunal victory represents more than a legal milestone; it’s a restoration of public trust in how taxpayer money is managed.
As Kganyago put it, the message is simple: those who stole from the people must pay it back.
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Source: IOL
Featured Image: University of California
