More arrests have been made in connection with the multi-million-rand Medicare24 tender at the centre of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.
Police confirmed on Monday evening that five senior officers will face charges in connection with the R360 million health tender.
This brings the total number of police officers arrested over the matter since March to 26.
“The South African Police Service (Saps) confirms the suspension of five additional senior officers in relation to matters arising from the Medicare 24 tender.
“Internal departmental processes are currently underway, and in the interest of preserving the integrity of these processes, the Saps will not provide further comment at this stage,” confirmed national police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe.
Medicare24 tender fallout
Nine other officers were suspended and arrested, all believed to be members of the tender’s bid adjudication committee.
They were released on bail ranging from R40 000 to R80 000 and are due in court again on 26 June.
In late March, 12 police officers were handcuffed in a series of raids conducted by the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption.
The tender in question centres around a contract awarded to businessman Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala for services to be rendered to Saps.
Then Saps CFO and current acting national police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane, told parliament’s ad-hoc committee on police corruption that the contract was flagged in March 2024.
Dimpane stated last November that an irregular expenditure related to the tender was confirmed in May that year, and that payments were halted at her instruction.
Matlala was also before the ad hoc committee last November, where he explained his association with Medicare24.
Matlala said he had met the company’s owner, Mike van Wyk, at a residential estate, where they had allegedly established mutually beneficial ambitions.
*Additional reporting by Faizel Patel and Vhahangwele Nemakonde
