The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is probing a company, linked to African National Congress (ANC) spokesperson Pule Mabe, over an allegedly unlawful tender received in 2017.

President Cyril Ramaphosa gave the SIU the green light to investigate the R27-million tender, which was allegedly awarded illegally to Enviro Mobi by the Gauteng agriculture and rural development department and the Ekurhuleni municipality.

The investigation will probe procurement made in March 2017 for the supply of 200 portable, three-wheel motorised waste collection vehicles.

"Ekurhuleni appointed Enviro Mobi on 31 October 2018 to supply a further 70 three-wheel vehicles at a contract price of R7.8-million," said SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago.

In 2018, the Mail and Guardian reported that the Gauteng department of agriculture and rural development contracted Enviro Mobi to render a service, which would require them to supply 58 waste-pickers in the Ekurhuleni municipality with 200 three-wheeler motorbikes, known as Karikis.

However, the company failed to deliver a year after the tender had been awarded.

Company

In 2016, while still a Member of Parliament, Mabe made it known and declared his directorship of Enviro Mobi and another company, called Kariki Media, in the register of members' interest.

The SIU said the aim was to determine whether the procurement and payments made were in relation to the three-wheel waste collection vehicles tender, which were done in a manner that was "not fair, competitive, transparent, equitable or cost effective, or contrary to applicable legislation, guidelines issued by National Treasury or the relevant provincial treasury".

"The SIU will also look at whether there was any related unauthorised, irregular or fruitless and wasteful expenditure incurred by the institutions or financial losses suffered by the institutions or government.

"Furthermore, the SIU will investigate any irregular, improper or unlawful conduct by contractors, employees or officials or the institutions or the suppliers, service providers or any other person or entity, relating to the allegations of corruption or maladministration," Kganyago said.