A businessman, his company and an Emthanjeni Municipality employee have been found guilty of 27 counts of corruption and nine counts of money laundering linked to a personal protective equipment (PPE) tender.
Rhulani Innocent Tshuketana, 36, his company, Ribilwa Trading Enterprises, and municipal employee Lusapho Donald Williams, 40, were found guilty by the Kimberley Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.
Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Tebogo Thebe said the trio first appeared before the Petrusville Magistrates’ Court on December 3, 2024, facing charges of corruption under the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act and money laundering under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
Tshuketana and his company were arrested in Midrand on December 2, 2024, while Williams was arrested at his workplace the following day by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team.
The investigation revealed that in March 2020, Ribilwa Trading Enterprises was awarded a tender to supply PPE to a municipality without following proper supply chain management procedures.
Preliminary investigations further revealed that the company had allegedly been awarded tenders repeatedly within a short period.
Thebe said Williams, who worked as a youth coordinator at Emthanjeni Municipality, had allegedly received gratification from Tshuketana, the director of Ribilwa Trading Enterprises.
Williams allegedly failed to disclose business interests outside his employment and was not authorised to receive remuneration beyond the scope of his duties.
Payments made to Ribilwa Trading Enterprises by Renosterberg Municipality amounted to R1,614,455.
In a separate matter in October 2024, the Kimberley Specialised Commercial Crimes Court found the company guilty of contravening the Tax Administration Act and fined it R30,000.
Tshuketana was also fined R50,000, bringing the combined fines imposed on the businessman and his company to R80,000.
Thebe said the latest convictions relate to nine counts of money laundering and 27 counts of corruption involving Tshuketana, his company and Williams.
The matter has been postponed to January 27, 2027, for sentencing.
