A Pietermaritzburg company is gunning for a former senior supply chain government official who defrauded it by issuing a fraudulent tender.
Cebamkhulu Trading from Edendale township in Pietermaritzburg wants its hands on the pension of Mandla Ngcamu, who used to work for the KwaZulu-Natal department of agriculture and rural development in Cedara.
According to documents seen by Sunday World, which were submitted by Mhlengi Cebekhulu to investigators in the department, Ngcamu issued a tender to Cebekhulu’s company, Cebamkhulu, to supply foot-and-mouth medication to the department.
It appears that the tender specifications were copied word for word from another tender document during the outbreak of the disease in the province early in 2024.
Tender diverted elsewhere
Convinced that his company had scored a lucrative government tender, he supplied the medication, and it was later found that he was duped and he lost the entire stock.
It is alleged that Ngcamu diverted it elsewhere, a claim that could not be verified as Ngcamu could not be reached for a comment.
After learning that he had been defrauded, Cebekhulu sprang into action and reported the matter to the department.
“I attended the department’s hearing, and the MEC for agriculture assured us that we are going to [be paid] our money,” Cebekhulu told Sunday World.
“Since last year, we haven’t been paid. The case is well-known; even the provincial treasury and the office of the premier know about this case.
“I have opened a case against the individual … the case is in court.”
The police in KwaZulu-Natal confirmed that a case was opened with the police at Plessislaer in Pietermaritzburg, and an investigation is underway.
Lawyers demand action from the department
Cebekhulu has since unleashed his lawyers from Hlela Wiseman Attorneys to ask the department to withhold Ngcamu’s pension so that he could recover his money.
“Due to the fraudulent activity of Mr Ngcamu, who issued fraudulent purchase orders for
already procured tenders, the entity Cebamkhulu Trading, which is represented by
Mr Mhlengi Cebekhulu, our client, suffered a financial loss of R350 000 and also lost prospective anticipated income amounting to R480 000, which totals to R830 000 inclusive of to be later defined 40% interest calculated from the date of issuing the purchase order.
“We herein seek assistance in deducting the said funds from Mr Ngcamu’s pension,” reads the lawyer’s letter to the department.
The spokesperson for the department, Vusi Zuma, confirmed the matter and said Ngcamu has been dismissed.
“Kindly be informed that upon the tip-off, the department then conducted [an] internal [investigation], which [led] into [a] disciplinary hearing,” said Zuma.
“He [Ngcamu] was found guilty of charges and was dismissed by the department. We are working with [the] police to ensure that the law takes its course.
“We reiterate that the department is committed to rooting out any unscrupulous and nefarious characters in the system.”
