MUNICIPAL MANAGER AND OTHERS FOR TENDER FRAUD AND CORRUPTION OF OVER R600 MILLION
Today, the State charged thirteen accused persons, involved in the Amathole District Municipality (ADM) pit toilet tender scandal' involving over R600 million With contravening section 173(1) Of Municipal Management Finance Act, 56 Of 2003, tender fraud, money laundering and corruption.
The accused appeared at the East London Magistrates Court after their arrest by a multidisciplinary investigation team including the Hawks yesterday. They were all granted R40 000 bail except Accused Number 2, whose bail was fixed at RIO 000.
They are:- (Names and positions held when the offences were allegedly committed)
Accused 1, NTSOKOLO CHRIS MAGWANGQANA, Municipal Manager Of the ADM.
Accused 2, NKOSINATHI SOGA, Chief Financial Officer of the ADM.
Accused 3, MPUMELELO SHEZI, Director Of Engineering Services Of the ADM.
Accused 4, LULAMA TALENI, Director of Corporate Services of the ADM.
Accused 5, ONGAMA MAHLAWE, Acting Chief Executive Officer of MISA.
Accused 6, GOODMAN NTANDAZO VIMBA, Executive Manager: Vendor, Legal and Contracts Management of MISA
Accused 7, BONGANI MPELUZA, sole director of SIYENZA.
Accused 8, EDDISON VUYANI GAGA, sole director of SIYENZA (EASTEN CAPE).
Accused 9, HELEN BUSISIWE KWINANA-BOADI, Chief Financial Officer of SIYENZA.
Accused 10, LOVEMORE KHATIVHU, Head of operations for SIYENZA.
Accused 11, BLUE NIGHTINGALE TRADING 397, trading as SIYENZA, is a registered company with registration number 2005/000948/07, represented by the sole director, accused 7.
Accused 12, SIYENZA PROSPECTORS, is a registered company with registration number 2012/119282/07, represented by two Of the directors, accused 7 and 8.
Accused 13, SIYENZA EASTERN CAPE, a sole proprietor, represented by the sole director, accused 8.
It is the State's case that the accused concluded a prior agreement to appoint SIYENZA as the sole service provider in order to misappropriate funds earmarked for the sanitation project by the ADM. The poorest Of society within the ADM have been prejudiced, robbed Of basic services, and their basic human rights infringed by individuals and State officials who were in positions of power and trust, but instead plundered the state coffers for their personal benefit.
The Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) already obtained a forfeiture order on 21 August 2018 against Mr. Mpeluza's Lanseria house, acquired using R18 million from the sanitation project's funds.
The Acting Director Of Public Prosecutions for the Eastern Cape Division, Advocate Indra Goberdan, is confident that the excellent working partnership between the investigating agencies, the prosecution and AFU will ensure that perpetrators of corruption and organized crime are brought to justice as the efforts to reclaim the State are materializing.
The case has been remanded to 05 February 2020.
Issued by: Luxolo Tyali, Regional Spokesperson, National prosecuting Authority: Eastern Cape, 22 November 2019
