Company co-owned by Anele Mdoda’s husband ordered to pay back profit earned from unlawful PPE tender

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has secured a ruling forcing Tark Group (Pty) Ltd to repay the profits it made from more than R14 million in unlawful COVID-19 PPE contracts, after the Special Tribunal declared the deals invalid. Tark Group (Pty) Ltd, formerly Tuwo Rhodesi is co-owned by Katleho O’Hara Mokonyane and Bonelela Mgudlwa. Mgudlwa is husband to media personality Anele Mdoda.

The order targets the company’s gains from the irregular tenders, underscoring that suppliers have no right to benefit from state contracts awarded in breach of procurement laws. SIU on Friday welcomed the judgments by the Special Tribunal, stating it “remains committed to protecting public funds, restoring integrity in procurement, and ensuring that those who unlawfully benefit from state contracts are brought to justice.” “The contracts, valued at R1 080 000 for 60 000 surgical masks and R13 297 500.00 for 150 000 protective medical jumpsuits, were declared constitutionally invalid, unlawful, and void,” said the SIU. The contracts were awarded by the Mpumalanga Department of Health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

#SIUWorkingForYou| MPUMALANGA PPE TENDER WORTH OVER R14 MILLION DECLARED INVALID, AND UNLAWFUL, MOKONYANE AND MGUDLWA ORDERED TO PAY BACK PROFIT EARNEDThe Special Investigating Unit (SIU) welcomes the two judgments handed down by the Special Tribunal, which reviewed and set…pic.twitter.com/fp10Txiywe Investigations conducted by the SIU revealed that Tark Group benefited unlawfully from contracts worth more than R14 million. The SIU said the Tribunal also held the co-owners personally liable for unlawful gains. “The Tribunal ordered the disgorgement of profits and declared the contracts void,” added the corruption-fighting agency. The SIU said its investigations revealed systemic violations of procurement laws, including bypassing bid committees, deviations from transversal contracts, and the appointment of a supplier lacking accreditation and the requisite South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) licence.