State capture inquiry chairperson chief justice Raymond Zondo has recommended the government seek legal opinion on how to recover the R255m of public money wasted on the failed Free State asbestos roof eradication project.
This is contained in Zondo’s fourth part of the state capture report, which found that the state did not get value for money from the project, awarded to a joint venture comprising Blackhead Consulting and Diamond Hill Trading.
Blackhead boss Edwin Sodi, who is fingered as the mastermind behind the failed project which allegedly included the bribing of politicians, is among those already facing charges of fraud and corruption in court.
State Capture report: Part 4
Find a way to get corruption-accused Free State officials to pay back the money — Zondo report
Businessman Edwin Sodi is main figure in failed R255m asbestos project
Image: Gallo Images
State capture inquiry chairperson chief justice Raymond Zondo has recommended the government seek legal opinion on how to recover the R255m of public money wasted on the failed Free State asbestos roof eradication project.
This is contained in Zondo’s fourth part of the state capture report, which found that the state did not get value for money from the project, awarded to a joint venture comprising Blackhead Consulting and Diamond Hill Trading.
Blackhead boss Edwin Sodi, who is fingered as the mastermind behind the failed project which allegedly included the bribing of politicians, is among those already facing charges of fraud and corruption in court.
Zondo believes it should not just end with the prosecution of those implicated in the saga. Those who benefited criminally must also pay back the money.
“It is recommended that government obtains a legal opinion aimed at establishing whether it would be able to successfully recover the monies it paid to Blackhead Consulting and Diamond Hill Joint Venture in regard to the Asbestos Eradication Project, for which it received no value or because Blackhead Consulting and Diamond Hill Joint Venture made a misrepresentation to the department of human settlements that it had the qualification or expertise or skills or experience necessary for the performance of the job when it had no such experience, expertise, qualifications or skills,” reads the report.
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IN FULL | State capture report part 4
Here’s a recap of what the first 3 parts of the state capture report contained and who they implicated
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