The case against a former manager of the Dihlabeng Municipality, Phakiso Patrick Mokoena (40), is set to continue on 16 October.
Mokoena was arrested on compelling evidence earlier this year by the Serious Corruption Investigation team of the Hawks in the Free State. The matter is set to continue in the Bethlehem Magistrates’ Court.
The elite crime fighting wing uncovered the rot as part of its ongoing probing regarding illegal appointments and unqualified personnel in the ANC-led Dihlabeng Municipality.
The Hawks uncovered Mokoena’s alleged improper appointment, and that he had apparently presented false qualifications.
Col. Zweli Mohobeleli, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, confirmed the case against Mokoena had been postponed to the date in October for trial, and possible plea.
He said probing discovered that Mokoena had been appointed on a three-month contract as municipal manager, despite being unqualified. Mohobeleli said the accused was furthermore alleged to have been appointed without proper recruitment procedures being followed.
“It was discovered that, upon employment, Mokoena had provided a fraudulent matric certificate. The Hawks’ investigators presented a compelling case before the prosecution, which resulted in a warrant for his arrest being issued by the court,” said Mohobeleli.
He said in-depth probing had revealed that Mokoena was employed by the municipality from February 2022 to April of the same year, earning R53 000 per month.
Mokoena is currently out on bail of R10 000, with conditions.
- In 2019, the Office of the Auditor-General (AG) also flagged Seipati Mavis Mabula’s appointment as the director of corporate services in the municipality, regarding an alleged fraudulent bachelor of administration degree that did not display the day on which it had been presented, nor a certificate number.
She strongly denied the claims of false qualifications.
