Mgudlwa and Mokonyane Implicated in R14 Million PPE Tender Fraud
The Special Investigative Unit (SIU) made an astonishing announcement on the 2nd of April 2026, issuing a lengthy statement at the behest of the Special Tribunal implicating Bonelela Mgudlwa and Katleho O’Hara Mokonyane in a PPE tender scandal that saw the two make off with R14 million of stolen funds. The aforementioned tender dated back to the era of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The SIU’s statement gave a rough estimation of the defrauded funds meant for medical equipment and professional gear through contracts that passed through the Mpumalanga Department of Health.
“The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) welcomes the two judgments handed down by the Special Tribunal, which reviewed and set aside unlawful contracts awarded by the Mpumalanga Department of Health during the COVID-19 pandemic. The contracts, valued at R1,080,000.00 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.
Bonelela Mgudlwa | SUPPLIED
The investigations also linked Tark Group to the misappropriated bounty, a company co-owned by Mokonyane and Mgudlwa. The statement also revealed that the Tribunal has since order that the funds be paid back and the contracts annulled.
“The SIU investigations revealed that Tark Group (Pty) Ltd, formerly Tuwo Rhodesia, benefited unlawfully from contracts worth over R14 million. Tark Group is co-owned by Katleho O’Hara Mokonyane and Bonelela Mgudlwa. The Tribunal also held the co-owners personally liable for unlawful gains. The Tribunal ordered the disgorgement of profits and declared the contracts void,” said the statement.
Katleho O’Hara Mokonyane | SUPPLIED
South Africans were divided on the matter as well as the ruling of the Tribunal. Some called the remedy hypocritical compared to the NSFAS fiasco of Sibongile Mani, who ended up doing jail time for spending wrongfully deposited NSFAS funds amounting to R14 million.
@Boujeena, referencing Mani’s case, commented, “That NSFAS girl had to do jail time.”
The Instigator tweeted, “Why should they pay back instead of going to jail?”
Others were critical of Mgudlwa and Mokonyane, calling them out for the fraud and also recalled the needless deaths of patients and medical personnel who weren’t able to obtain medical paraphernalia because of their corruption.
One tweep said, “While families were losing loved ones and healthcare workers were risking everything, others saw it as a business opportunity. Sies man.”
@LadyM1306 was a little sharper, saying, “Bonelela Mgudlwa stole millions during Covid while people died…”
Others poked fun at the matter, touching on Mgudlwa’s recent marriage to prominent presenter Anele Mdoda.
@tladi_tladi_508 said, “As a taxpayer in this country. Anele Mdoda is my wife too because I contributed. I paid for her lobola and wedding.”