The tenders were worth a combined R1.2 billion.

Sars commissioner Edward Kieswetter said the investigation forms part of a bigger probe into PPE corruption worth R2 billion.

Kieswetter briefed the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) on the probe into the looting of Covid-19 funds on Friday.

He said none of the 17 companies has any prior history or experience in the sector.

"You'd be surprised to know that many companies were previously registered, but they were not in the PPE business.

"We found providers that are registered as pubs, as IT companies, as car washing companies, as property letting companies, as bakeries and events management companies and they had been successful, notwithstanding the fact that they had no experience in providing PPEs to government.

"Seventeen of those tenders involved politically-exposed persons to the value of R1.2 billion which represent 60% of the total of R2 billion which we are currently investigating.”

Jacaranda FM