He and 12 others appeared in court on Wednesday and yesterday in connection with alleged tender fraud amounting to R63-million.

Th e accused are believed to be linked to Julius Malema's business partner, Lesiba Gwangwa.

The 14th accused is a Limpopo roads and transport department official.

They all appeared in the Polokwane Magistrate's Court on charges of fraud and contravention of the Public Finance Management Act.

Hawks spokesman Captain Paul Ramaloko yesterday said more charges were likely.

The arrests were made as the police prepare to deal with the thousands of people expected to descend on Polokwane this morning for Julius Malema's appearance in the Polokwane Regional Court on money-laundering charges related to a multimillion-rand contract awarded to On-Point Engineering by the Limpopo department of roads and transport.

The 13 arrested this week are:

• Tshepo Malema, director of Arandi Trade and Enterprise;
• Mmakgomo Kgosana, a senior manager responsible for extended public works projects in the Limpopo roads and transport department;
• Betty Mashashane, director of Morolong Trading Enterprise;
• Tebadi Foromo, director of TC Foromo Trading Enterprise;
• Portia Sebela, director of Tsheke Trading Enterprise;
• Carlton Marule, director of Phaladi Civil Construction;
• Sekgobokgobo Legodi and his father, Calvin, directors of Sekgobokgobo Trading Enterprise;
• Hlangelani Phasha, director of Phetlako Construction;
• Precious Lekolwane, director of Bara Trading Enterprise;
• Frederick Phukubje, director of Morolong Construction;
• Joseph Ratshidi, director of Bingo Trading Enterprise;
• Dennis Skosa, director of Denrop; and
• Mulalo Nelwamondo, director of Courtesy Traders.

Kjosana was granted R10000 bail. The others are out on R5 000 bail each.

Ramaloko said the men and women were awarded tenders to repair roads that were washed away in floods in Limpopo in February last year.

The companies, subcontracted to Blue Dot Trading, of which Gwangwa is a director, were paid for work they were meant to have done.

"[But] our investigations show tenders were advertised in February 2011 and that payments were allegedly made before the contracts were awarded," said Ramaloko.

"Investigators discovered that while the companies claim to have repaired tarred roads, several of them are gravel roads."

He said investigations also showed that a number of the roads had been repaired by the provincial government before the tenders were advertised.

On-Point was awarded a R52-million tender in 2009 to oversee and supervise the work of professional service providers contracted by the Limpopo department of roads transport to plan, design, build, upgrade and maintain roads and bridges.