In what could be a scene straight out of a heist movie, Bradley Slingers, the former CFO of the Northern Cape Department of Roads and Public Works, was arrested in November 2023 after a roadblock near Shell Ultra City on the N12 revealed a whopping R680,000 stashed in his car. The Hawks and Asset Forfeiture Unit were hot on his tail, investigating a larger web of corruption within the department.
Slingers, 58, was found with R200,000 in his pocket and three bags containing the rest of the cash. When questioned, he couldn’t explain where the money came from – not a good look for someone at the top of a public department. Sources claim that senior officials in the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) have been on the take for years, accepting “cash gifts” from service providers in exchange for juicy tenders.
The investigation seems to be just getting started. With several whistleblowers spilling the beans, more arrests may be on the horizon, and the Hawks are eyeing other high-ranking DPWI officials.
The arrest is part of a broader anti-corruption push, but it’s clear that this department has been a hotbed of shady dealings. For example, the Northern Cape’s Head of Department, Dr. Johnny MacKay, is also under fire for alleged misconduct related to pension funds. Meanwhile, the Auditor-General has blasted the department for failing to execute its duties properly, with billions lost to irregular expenditure.
The Democratic Alliance is calling for tough action, while MP Andile Mngxitama accuses Minister Dean MacPherson of failing to crack down on corruption, particularly around businessman Jean Du Plessis, who’s allegedly making a mint off questionable contracts with the DPWI. Mngxitama insists that people under investigation should be suspended from any government contracts – a sentiment that’s hard to argue with.
As the investigation deepens, it seems the DPWI’s corruption problem might be far bigger than a few missing bags of cash. Stay tuned for more updates.
Source Info: https://www.iol.co.za/the-star/news/public-works-cfo-nabbed-with-680k-in-car-919080d9-dcc0-4ee9-bbee-dc4673e3d7e8