A senior municipal official in Cape Town has been praised for rejecting a multimillion-rand bribe, triggering an undercover operation that led to the arrest of a suspect and the seizure of R1.4 million in cash.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) says an undercover operation was executed at Watercress Mall in Somerset West yesterday, with City Manager Lungelo Mbandazayo acting as an authorised agent.

Police spokesperson Novela Potelwa says during the operation, members seized R1.4 million in cash, a vehicle and a cellphone.

“A 51-year-old suspect was arrested and is expected to appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court tomorrow on corruption charges.”

Mayor Geordin Hill Lewis says the City has pledged itself to clean governance, describing Mbandazayo’s actions as brave and courageous.

“This is another demonstration of the extraordinary leadership that characterises our City’s daily pursuit of good governance and zero tolerance approach to those seeking illicit benefit from this government. This operation is a powerful message that Cape Town does not tolerate corruption and that we will go through any length to root it out.”

The probe began in March 2025 after a whistleblower reported suspected collusion between municipal employees and service providers. The City’s Ethics and Forensic Services team partnered with SAPS Commercial Crime Investigation unit to conduct an extensive investigation.

In February 2026, the owner of a company contracted to perform maintenance on municipal infrastructure allegedly approached Mbandazayo, requesting that internal investigations be halted in exchange for a multimillion-rand gratification.

Potelwa confirmed that more arrests are expected as investigations continue.