The former acting municipal manager of the Mafube Local Municipality, Nkabi Andrew Hlubi (45), is expected to reappear in the two separate courts, over two separate alleged fraud and corruption cases.
He will reappear in the Bethlehem Specialised Commercial Crimes Court tomorrow, Wednesday (03/05), for the R116 000 allegedly unaccounted for payment towards municipal operations. His first appearance was on 17 April. His next appearance, regarding the awarding of fraudulent tenders, will be in the Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court on 1 June.
The Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team in the Free State are investigating the cases that occurred during his tenure at the troubled ANC-led municipality. The municipality governs the Frankfort, Villiers, Cornelia, and Tweeling towns.
The latest case pertains the alleged unaccounted for R116 000 for payments towards municipal operations. The other case regards fraud and corruption, pertaining a R21 million tender illegally awarded in 2015. For the tender fraud, Hlubi is charged together with Tumahole Jeffrey Mokoena, the director of a private company called Pit Dog Trading.
WO Fikiswa Matoti, provincial spokesperson of the Hawks, said Hlubi was granted bail of R3 000 for unaccounted for payments for municipal operations. She said the secrecy about the R116 000 surfaced when the money was queried and could not be accounted for.
“It is alleged that in February 2017, Hlubi verbally instructed the former chief financial officer not to bank the daily cash received at the municipality, but rather utilise it on daily municipal operations.
“The former chief financial officer requested Hlubi to issue the instruction in writing, but he allegedly refused and said that he will take accountability should a query arise from the auditors,” said Matoti.
Regarding the tender fraud case, both Hlubi and Mokoena were granted bail of R10 000 and R7 000. They have been appearing in court since September 2021, facing charges of fraud, uttering and corruption in illegal tenders.
Capt. Christopher Singo, provincial spokesperson of the Hawks, said according to findings, Hlubi allegedly received money in kickbacks from Mokoena, whose company, Pit Dog Trading, was unlawfully awarded tenders.
“After every payment made by the municipality to Pit Dog Trading, the director of the company would deposit a portion of the money into Hlubi’s bank account, ranging from R1 million. All the tenders that were awarded are estimated at R21 million,” Singo said.
He said according to an in-depth investigation, Mokoena, as the director of the company, allegedly forged and submitted fraudulent documents at the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) to get a higher grading.
