Molise John Letsipa
Nkabi Andrew Hlubi
The Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team in the Free State is probing three fraud and corruption cases in the Mafube Local Municipality. Implicated is the former acting municipal manager and two individuals owning different companies.
The latest case was brought before the court on 14 November, while the other two cases have been pending since 2021 and in May this year, respectively.
In the latest case the former acting municipal manager, Nkabi Andrew Hlubi, is charged with Molise John Letsipa; while in the second pending matter Tumahole Jeffrey Mokoena is believed to be involved.
The Bethlehem Commercial Crimes Court granted him bail of R3 000 during his appearance in May.
The court has granted Hlubi, together with Mokoena, bail of R10 000 and R7 000, respectively. The court granted Hlubi and Letsipa bail of R10 000 each. Hlubi is appearing alone regarding the third case pertaining to an alleged unaccounted for R116 000 payment for municipal operations.
The three men are waiting on the Hawks to finalise the investigations and to provide evidence in court regarding allegations of fraud and corruption against them.
Capt. Christopher Singo, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said the latest case of alleged tender fraud regards unauthorised payment and awarding of tender contract to Letsipa’s company to fence graveyards. They appeared in the Cornelia Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 14 November.
Singo said both Letsipa and Hlubi faced charges of corruption and fraud, as well as contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act.
“It is alleged that during December 2015, the Mafube Local Municipality advertised a tender to fence the graveyards of four towns: Cornelia, Villiers, Frankfort and Tweeling. It is reported that the bid committees recommended that the tender be re-advertised as the municipality had no funds.
“The former acting municipal manager allegedly ignored the recommendations and proceeded to appoint a contractor who bid the tender at an amount of R62 million. The contractor fenced only the graveyard in Cornelia and quoted the municipality R11 million. Then R3 million was paid to the contractor.
“It is further alleged that the former municipal manager appointed the company because he had a relationship of mutual benefit with the owner,” said Singo.
The other corruption case pertains a R21 million tender illegally awarded to Mokoena’s company Pit Dog Trading in 2015. Singo had said according to preliminary findings, Mokoena allegedly forged and submitted fraudulent documents at the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) to get a higher grading.
