12/12/2025
CONFIRMED
The Pretoria Magistrates’ Court is set to hear the case of three men – aged 39, 40 and 42 – who were taken into custody at Menlyn on Thursday, 11 December 2025. The arrests were carried out by officers from the Anti‑Corruption Investigation unit of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), acting on intelligence that had been gathered over several weeks. Among those detained are a ward councillor, a driver and a member of a political party, all of whom are affiliated with the Madibeng Municipality in the town of Brits, North West Province.
According to the investigation, the trio allegedly approached a local businessman earlier in the month and indicated that they could facilitate the award of a municipal tender that had been advertised by Madibeng Municipality in November 2025. The tender in question relates to a service contract that the municipality intends to allocate to a private firm, and it carries a significant financial value that attracted the interest of several prospective bidders.
The complaint states that one of the suspects – later identified as the ward councillor – made initial contact with the businessman, asking whether he would be interested in receiving assistance to secure the contract. The businessman, who described himself as law‑abiding and eager to operate within the bounds of the law, expressed surprise at the suggestion but indicated that he was open to learning more. A meeting was subsequently arranged between the businessman and the three suspects, during which the alleged corrupt scheme was discussed in detail.
During that meeting, the suspects are said to have demanded a gratification payment of R300 000 in exchange for ensuring that the tender would be awarded to the businessman’s company. The amount was presented as a “facilitation fee” that would guarantee the necessary support from the municipal officials involved in the evaluation process. The businessman, feeling uneasy about the proposition, decided