Pretoria - Eight people, among them three government employees, have been arrested for corruption, fraud and money laundering in a blitz by police in Durban, Pietermaritzburg and Cape Town.
Assets to the value of R200 million have also been seized, including a Maserati, Range Rover, Ferrari, S class Mercedes Benz, lear private jet, two luxury hotels, two farms in Pietermaritzburg, two lodges and other expensive movable items of value.
Justice Minister Jeff Radebe said an investigation team which included members of the Hawks, the SAPS, National Treasury and the Asset Forfeiture Unit, carried out the arrests after an investigation which started in 2008.
The investigation was called for after allegations of procurement irregularities involving the Northern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal Health Departments and the company Intaka Holdings (Pty) Ltd surfaced.
Following investigations it was found that Intaka had allegedly fraudulently secured tenders for the supply of water purification plants and the supply of oxygen as well as medical gases to hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal and Northern Cape, the minister explained.
Members of the Supply Chain Management were successfully recruited by those outside the public service to participate in the scam.
Radebe described the arrests of the five businessman and the three government officials as a confirmation of government's resolve to fight corruption.
He warned that government was intensifying the fight against corruption, saying that the security cluster, in particular would go after those who looted state resources and turned to corruption to sponsor their lavish lifestyles.
