The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has secured a significant victory in its ongoing efforts to address corruption linked to COVID-19 spending. On October 30, 2025, a court ruling ordered the recovery of profits from a R4.73 million deal for surgical masks involving the Mpumalanga Department of Health and Tepa Trading. The SIU's investigation revealed serious irregularities, including bypassing proper procurement procedures, leading to the contract being deemed unconstitutional and unlawful.
The deal, which dates back to early 2020 during the national state of disaster, involved the Mpumalanga Department of Health awarding a contract to Tepa Trading for 220,000 masks without following competitive bidding processes or comparing prices. Tepa's bid of R21.50 per mask was much higher than the price the company had paid to another supplier, TRC, which provided the masks at R12 each. The SIU’s probe uncovered several breaches, including the failure to use existing government contracts with approved suppliers and collusion between suppliers, which undermined fair competition.
The court's decision nullified the contract and ordered Tepa to return all profits made from the deal, as well as to cover the SIU’s legal costs. This ruling underscores the SIU's commitment to recovering public funds lost to corruption during the pandemic. The case remains ongoing, with the possibility of further legal action if disputes over the financial figures arise.
The deal, which dates back to early 2020 during the national state of disaster, involved the Mpumalanga Department of Health awarding a contract to Tepa Trading for 220,000 masks without following competitive bidding processes or comparing prices. Tepa's bid of R21.50 per mask was much higher than the price the company had paid to another supplier, TRC, which provided the masks at R12 each. The SIU’s probe uncovered several breaches, including the failure to use existing government contracts with approved suppliers and collusion between suppliers, which undermined fair competition.
The court's decision nullified the contract and ordered Tepa to return all profits made from the deal, as well as to cover the SIU’s legal costs. This ruling underscores the SIU's commitment to recovering public funds lost to corruption during the pandemic. The case remains ongoing, with the possibility of further legal action if disputes over the financial figures arise.
