In November 2023, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) conducted a joint raid on the offices of Dawid Kruiper Local Municipality in Upington, Northern Cape. The operation targeted 24 contracts suspected of tender irregularities, supply chain manipulation, and financial misconduct.
The raid followed a presidential proclamation authorising the SIU to investigate allegations of corruption, maladministration, and unlawful conduct at the municipality. Documents, electronic records, and financial files were seized. Multiple municipal officials were implicated in a pattern of awarding tenders to connected companies at inflated prices, circumventing competitive bidding processes, and approving payments for work not performed.
Dawid Kruiper, which governs Upington — the Northern Cape's second-largest town and a critical agricultural hub along the Orange River — had been flagged by the Auditor-General for deteriorating financial management over several years. The joint raid represented an escalation from audit findings to criminal investigation. As of early 2025, the investigation remains ongoing with no arrests publicly announced, though the SIU has indicated that civil recovery proceedings and criminal referrals are being prepared.