Polokwane Mayor John Mpe Confronted on Live TV Over Hawks Corruption Probe

POLOKWANE, October 2025 – A heated exchange unfolded on SABC’s Face the Nation between Polokwane Mayor John Mpe and journalist Clement Manyathela, after the Hawks confirmed that their recent visit to the Polokwane Municipality offices formed part of a criminal investigation into alleged corruption involving senior officials.

The broadcast, which has since gone viral, saw the mayor defend his administration amid growing allegations of graft linked to municipal tenders and a controversial bus procurement deal.

The Hawks Sweep In

The tension stems from a recent operation by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks), which executed what sources described as a major corruption probe inside Polokwane’s municipal offices.

According to the Hawks, the documents seized were part of a criminal investigation into municipal principals and officials, contradicting the municipality’s earlier statement that dismissed the incident as a “routine audit.”

“The documents that they requested were to support a criminal investigation into alleged corruption involving municipal principals and officials,”
said Manyathela, citing the Hawks’ official statement.
“Are you not aware of that?” he pressed the mayor.

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Mpe Denies Wrongdoing, Calls It an Audit Process

Mayor John Mpe rejected the characterization of the Hawks’ presence as a raid, insisting that his administration has “nothing to hide.”

“Look, our understanding is that probably there is an inquiry,” Mpe said.
“You first do the inquiry, and once you are satisfied, you can then go to the level of intensive investigation… but from our side, we are always available and ready to be held accountable for the work that we’re doing.”

The mayor emphasized that under his leadership, the municipality has improved financial management systems, and continues to cooperate with law enforcement and auditing bodies.

The Polokwane Bus Scandal Resurfaces

The conversation intensified when Manyathela raised the issue of the Polokwane bus procurement scandal, a long-standing controversy involving millions of rands paid for buses that were allegedly never delivered.

“What cases have you opened?” Manyathela asked.
“We have open cases with regard to material irregularities flagged by the Auditor-General,” Mpe responded.
“For example, on the issue of buses that were paid for during the initial stage of our BRT, but were never delivered… to the value of about R16 million.”

Mpe said the municipality opened a case with the Hawks to recover lost funds and ensure accountability, adding that some officials had been fired or faced disciplinary action over irregular payments.

Accountability and Consequence Management

Pressed on whether those responsible were still employed, Mpe maintained that “all individuals implicated” had been removed.

“There were consequence management processes,” he explained.
“Several officials and directors left the municipality after investigations began. Even if they resign, we refer their cases to law enforcement — no one is above the law.”

He added that a new team of qualified chartered accountants has been appointed to tighten financial oversight, ensuring that no payments are made without “security of equivalent value.”

“The money of government must always be secured — it is public money, and it must be protected,” Mpe said.

Audit or Corruption Probe? Conflicting Narratives

Despite Mpe’s reassurances, the Hawks’ confirmation that their actions were part of a criminal corruption probe — not a routine audit — raises questions about transparency within the municipality.

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Manyathela highlighted the contradiction between the mayor’s version and the Hawks’ official statement, leaving viewers to question whether the Polokwane Municipality is facing a deeper corruption crisis than officials are willing to admit.

As the investigation continues, public trust in the Polokwane Municipality hangs in the balance, with residents demanding clarity on whether the city’s leadership is cleaning up corruption — or simply deflecting accountability.