Johannesburg businessman Thabiso Hamilton Ndlovu, known for his alleged involvement in corruption related to personal protective equipment (PPE) tenders, has found himself back in the spotlight after being charged with assault. Ndlovu appeared in the Randburg Magistrates’ Court, facing charges of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm following an incident at his Bryanston residence on February 1, 2025.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the charges stem from an altercation with Ndlovu’s girlfriend. It’s reported that he became enraged after discovering text message conversations between her and one of his friends. In a fit of anger, he allegedly took her phone and assaulted her. The victim managed to flee the scene and immediately contacted the Sandton South African Police Service to report the attack. Ndlovu remains in custody as he awaits a formal bail application, which is scheduled for February 13, 2025.
This assault charge is the latest chapter in the businessman’s controversial legal saga. In November 2024, Ndlovu was sentenced to 30 days in prison for contempt of court after failing to comply with a forfeiture order related to the debt owed to the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS). In a further development, the Special Tribunal had imposed a suspended R500,000 fine on Ndlovu for this contempt charge.
Ndlovu’s ties to the PPE scandal are well-known, with his companies awarded lucrative PPE tenders by the NHLS during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. These contracts, totaling R172 million, came under scrutiny, and the Special Tribunal later set aside the deals, ordering Ndlovu and his companies to repay R158 million with interest. The investigation revealed that most of the funds intended for PPE supplies were diverted for Ndlovu’s personal use, with only a small portion used to purchase the necessary medical supplies.
As part of the fallout from the investigation, Ndlovu’s Bryanston mansion was sold at auction for R7.1 million in September 2023. The sale was part of efforts to recover funds lost to the NHLS as a result of Ndlovu’s alleged corrupt activities. The Special Investigating Unit (SIU), which led the probe, found that nearly 90% of the funds from the NHLS tenders were channeled into Ndlovu’s personal accounts, leaving little for the intended public health response. The SIU had been authorized by President Cyril Ramaphosa to investigate allegations of corruption during the COVID-19 pandemic’s emergency procurement phase.
The ongoing investigations into Ndlovu’s business dealings and his recent legal troubles highlight the depths of the corruption surrounding emergency procurement during the pandemic and the far-reaching consequences for those implicated in such scandals.
