The case against high-ranking officials in the office of the premier in the Eastern Cape has been postponed to April 2024 for the state to furnish copies of the case docket to the defence and finalisation of the indictment.
The officials, who face a charge of tender fraud amounting to R25.9-million, appeared in the Zwelitsha magistrate’s court on Tuesday.
Charged along two business entities are former Eastern Cape director-general in the office of the premier and Eastern Cape treasury head of department Marrion Mbina-Mthembu, former OTP finance specialist Myirhakazi Ntshingila, businesspersons Athi Magwentshu, Ntabellang Nkoane, Koleka Mtembu, Deon Pietersen, Nelson Lephoko and Sizakele Netshilaphala.
The court granted Mbina-Mthembu, Ntshingila, Magwentshu, Pietersen and Lephoko R10 000 bail each while Netshilaphala was released on R6 000.
Nkoane and Mthembu were set free on R5 000 bail, respectively.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), conditions were attached to the accused bail.
Supplier allegedly appointed fraudulently
“They are not allowed to exit the Republic of South Africa without permission from the investigating officer,” said NPA spokesperson Luxolo Tyali.
It is alleged that in January 2016, the office of the premier insisted on taking over the emergency procurement tender of 72 temporary classrooms and furniture in the Gqeberha and Uitenhage area from the provincial department of education.
A supplier was allegedly fraudulently appointed for the tender worth more than R25.9-million.
Suspicions were raised that senior officials from the premier’s office violated supply chain management and procurement policies and regulations to unlawfully award the tender to the said company.
Subsequent investigations by the anti-corruption task team revealed that the officials allegedly manipulated and backdated some documents as a cover-up in order for the premier’s office not to detect the group’s fraudulent activities.
The matter was reported to the Hawks for an investigation, which culminated in the arrest of the eight accused in Gauteng and Eastern Cape on Monday.
They were nabbed during raids conducted in the early hours of the morning on Monday.
