SUI approved to probe R290m tender awarded to Edwin Sodi

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is recently said to have authorised the Specialised Investigation Unit (SIU) to investigate the R290 million Rooiwal Wastewater treatment plant tender in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality that was allegedly irregularly awarded to NJR Projects and Blackhead Consulting, companies owned by controversial businessman Edwin Sodi, ZiMoja reported.

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EDWIN SODI ALLEGEDLY IRREGULARLY AWARDED R290 MILLION TENDER

Responding to the notice of intention by the City of Tshwane to blacklist Sodi’s companies NJR Projects and Blackhead Consulting over the failed project, a letter from his lawyers was quoted as saying, “The completion of the project ultimately failed due to the fraudulent conduct of Mr R Schoeman, a director of CMS Water Engineering. The consequence of the fraud perpetrated by Mr Schoeman resulted in NJR laying criminal charges with the SAPS and pursuant to an investigation, Mr Schoeman was arrested and charged with fraud.”

Sodi’s late partner Rudolf Schoeman of CMS Water Engineering, whom he was in a joint venture with was found dead by his employee in March at his Bryanston house, SowetanLIVE reported.

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“The death certificate says natural causes [but] we suspect foul play because his face was smashed and there was definitely assault at some point that evening. A person cannot be so badly injured from natural causes,” a family member who asked to be kept anonymous was quoted as saying.

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Before his death, Edwin Sodi’s late partner Rudolf Schoeman had also found himself in a web of controversial tender scandals. According to the publication, in 2019, Schoeman was accused of cutting corners and being appointed fraudulently without following the procurement rules in regard to the upgrading and extension of Bospoort water treatment works in Rustenburg with a tender valued at R85 million.

Weeks later Sodi’s two companies, NJR Projects and Blackhead Consulting as well as CMS were said to have been awarded the joint venture of a little over R290 million.