Former transport minister Sibusiso Ndebele has appeared in a Durban court on charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering relating to an eNatis contract.
The Mercury on Tuesday reported that Ndebele had been named as the first accused in the case.
He is accused of accepting just over R10m into his Capitec bank account for his direct benefit.
Eyewitness News reported on Tuesday that Ndebele allegedly accepted the money between 2010 and 2012 in order to facilitate tenders worth more than R2bn.
These reportedly involved extending a tender to Tasima to manage the eNatis traffic management system, and a 2010 FIFA World Cup contract.
According to Jacaranda News, Ndebele appeared in the KwaZulu-Natal Commercial Crimes Court and was granted bail of R10 000.
The matter was postponed to July 20, 2016.
Ndebele was the minister of correctional services from 2012-2014, and minister of transport until 2012. He had served as provincial chair of the ANC and premier of KwaZulu-Natal, according toWho's Who.
In February 2015 he received his credentials as high commissioner to Australia, making him the South African ambassador to that country.