Zongamele Zingisa Mafuya, a 52-year-old businesswoman, and her company, Mafuya Investors, appeared in the East London Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday on charges of fraud, forgery, and uttering.
Mafuya’s appearance in court came after an alleged fraudulent tender application submitted to Amatola Water in 2020, as confirmed by the Hawks, who served Mafuya with a court summons.
The allegations relate to a tender advertised by Amatola Water’s Development Section in 2020 for hiring water tankers to supply water to communities in the Great Kei area.
According to the Hawks, the tender required applicants to meet specific criteria, including possession of a licensed water tanker.
“In August 2020, Mafuya Investors Pty Ltd allegedly submitted a fabricated vehicle registration certificate, falsely claiming it was issued by the Department of Transport’s Licensing Authorities,” said Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana, the spokesperson for the Hawks.
“This misrepresentation reportedly led Amatola Water to consider Mafuya’s company as a suitable service provider, resulting in the tender’s award.”
Discrepancies in documentation
After receiving approval, Mafuya’s company proceeded to provide water supply services and subsequently submitted invoices to Amatola Water for payment.
However, an audit later revealed discrepancies in the documentation, leading to the referral of the case to a specialised investigation unit. Hawks then took over the case for further investigation.
“Investigations by the Hawks established that Amatola Water suffered a loss of more than R216 000,” Mhlakuvana stated.
Mafuya and her company faced court summons due to the Hawks’ rigorous probing. Mafuya was released on a warning, and the case was remanded to September 18, 2025, for transfer to the East London Regional Court.
Meanwhile, earlier in August, Hawks detectives raided the department of public works and infrastructure offices in Bhisho, the provincial capital, as part of an investigation into alleged tender fraud and corruption involving about R32-million.
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