Hawks arrest Gauteng former human settlements head in Free State asbestos case
Margaret-Ann Diedricks has been arrested in connection with alleged kickbacks totalling more than R7-million
Image: Olivier Le Moal
Gauteng’s former human settlements department head, Margaret-Ann Diedricks, has been arrested in connection with alleged kickbacks totalling more than R7-million.
Payments were made to Diedricks from businessman Edwin Sodi’s company, Blackhead Consulting, a company that was involved in the notorious R255m Free State asbestos audit contract. She is alleged to have received more than R7m.
The Hawks arrested her at her home in Alberton on Wednesday. She’ll be joining 12 other accused arrested in connection with the case.
It is alleged that between 2014 and 2017 an irregular R255m contract was awarded to a service provider for the eradication of asbestos roofs by the Free State department of human settlements.
The matter was reported to the Hawks’ serious corruption investigation team for further investigation, which culminated in the arrests.
“The suspect, who was the acting HoD [head of department] of the department of human settlements in Gauteng, [allegedly] authorised the same service provider irregularly in Gauteng,” said the Hawks.
The suspect was to appear before the Bloemfontein magistrate’s court on Thursday. The other 12 accused are expected to appear before the Bloemfontein high court on September 23.
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