The Free State Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team’s probing into a dodgy graveyard fencing tender in the Mafube Local Municipality has yielded the arrest of a third suspect. A Zimbabwean national, Fortune Thandazile Nkomo (43), is the latest culprit.
WO Fikiswa Matoti, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said Nkomo’s arrest on Monday, 5 February, was a result of an ongoing investigation. He was granted bail of R15 000 on his appearance in the Mafube Magistrates’ Court yesterday, 6 February. Matoti said Nkomo appeared with co-accused Molise John Letsipa (53), director of Malanda Construction, and Nkabi Andrew Hlubi (45), former municipal manager of the Mafube Municipality. The latter were nabbed last November and were granted bail of R10 000 each.
Matoti said the trio’s case has been transferred to the Bethlehem Regional Court to be heard on 23 February. She said they are charged with corruption and fraud as well as contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act.
According to the Hawks’ findings, the suspects allegedly colluded to defraud the municipality through the unauthorised payment and awarding of tender contract to Letsipa’s company to fence the graveyards.
“It is alleged that during December 2015, a tender was advertised by the Mafube Local Municipality for the fencing of graveyards for four towns: Cornelia, Villiers, Frankfort, and Tweeling. Only two companies tendered for the fencing. All bid committees sat and recommended that the tender be re-advertised as the municipality did not have funds,” said Matoti.
Hlubi, who was acting municipal manager at the time, allegedly disregarded the recommendations and proceeded to appoint Malanda Construction for the project at an amount of R62 million.
“Only one graveyard in Cornelia was fenced. The company is also accused of misrepresentation for claiming that it was in a joint venture with other companies. This was later discovered to be untrue. The company invoiced the municipality an amount of R11 million for the fencing job done in Cornelia. A payment of R300 000 was then paid to Malanda Construction,” said Matoti.
