MAHIKENG – Netshivhumbe Gumani, a sitting councillor at the Thulamela Local Municipality in Limpopo, has been arrested on corruption charges for allegedly attempting to bribe an investigator from the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).
The arrest follows an ongoing SIU investigation into allegations of maladministration and corruption at the Mahikeng Local Municipality. The probe focuses on two tenders related to lease agreements, where forensic analysis revealed suspicious financial flows from a municipal service provider to unrelated companies and individuals.
According to the SIU, Gumani allegedly offered a total of R70,000 to obstruct justice. The councillor initially approached one SIU investigator, who refused the offer outright. Gumani then targeted a senior investigator, offering the R70,000 to “close one eye” and disregard evidence. A third SIU official from the unit’s headquarters was also approached.
On 18 June 2026, during a meeting in Mahikeng, Gumani handed over R10,000 in cash as a partial payment of the alleged bribe.
Prior to the transaction, the SIU had alerted the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Hawks, who authorized an entrapment operation. Gumani was arrested immediately after handing over the cash, and the money was seized and counted in the presence of law enforcement officers.
Following the arrest, the SIU released a statement emphasizing the high standards of integrity upheld by its investigators. The unit noted that the case serves as a strong deterrent, affirming that corruption will not be tolerated and those attempting to compromise its officials will face the full extent of the law.
Gumani appeared in the Molopo Magistrate’s Court in Mahikeng. The case has been postponed to 29 June 2026 for a bail application.