A Mpumalanga man who attempted to bribe a dialysis facility manager into stealing life-saving medical equipment worth approximately R47,000 has been convicted and sentenced after a Hawks investigation.
Thabiso Steven Mokwana, 38, was sentenced in the Evander Regional Court on October 28, 2026, after pleading guilty to corruption, conspiracy and theft-related charges.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) said the case stemmed from an incident on May 22, 2024, when Mokwana allegedly approached the manager of a dialysis institution in Trichardt with a proposal to steal dialysis consumables in exchange for R5,000.
The manager reported the alleged corrupt proposal to the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation (SOCI) unit in Secunda.
Investigators subsequently authorised a controlled operation to expose the scheme.
The transaction proceeded under the supervision of investigators, with Mokwana arrested immediately after the dialysis equipment had been loaded into a Volkswagen Polo.
Mokwana handed suspended sentences
Mokwana was sentenced to a fine of R6,000 or two years’ imprisonment for corruption.
He received 18 months’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years, for conspiracy and inducing another person to commit a crime.
For theft, he was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years.
The Hawks said the successful prosecution demonstrated their commitment to fighting corruption and protecting resources intended to preserve and improve lives.
Mpumalanga Hawks provincial head Major General Nico Gerber praised the investigative team for securing the conviction.
“Corruption is an insidious scourge that erodes public trust and threatens the integrity of essential institutions.
“This conviction demonstrates that those who seek to enrich themselves through dishonest means will find no sanctuary from the law,” Gerber said.
He added that the Hawks remained committed to dismantling criminal schemes that undermine the rule of law and jeopardise essential services relied upon by communities.
The DPCI also commended the dialysis facility manager for displaying integrity and courage by reporting the matter.
The Hawks said Mokwana’s conviction served as a warning that corruption, conspiracy and theft would ultimately lead to accountability.
