Eastern Cape Department of Health has welcomed the sentencing of its former employee after he was convicted for a personal protective equipment (PPE) tender fraud by the Mthatha Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.
This comes after the court sentenced Ayanda Matinise (35) to ten years direct imprisonment for crimes including fraud, forgery and altering.
Matinise was a messenger in the office of the then Health MEC, Sindiswa Gomba, at the time of the crimes.
“This sentencing shows that the days of people escaping with a slap on the wrist are gone. Corruption and fraud is a cancer to society that must be rooted out.”
“We are happy that the wrongdoers are not engaging in their deeds with impunity. When the fraud was brought to the department’s attention we acted swiftly and alerted law enforcement agencies,” said Eastern Cape Health MEC, Nomakhosazana Meth, in reaction to the court judgement.
The department described the sentence handed to Matinise as an important milestone for the government, which serves as a deterrent to other officials who still harbour intentions to defraud the government.
According to the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (Hawks), Matinise purported to be the director of supply chain in the provincial health department and forged a tender award letter to a service provider for COVID-19 personal protective equipment.
The service provider was to deliver N95 masks to the value of R23.4 million to OR Tambo District offices of the Department of Health.
“The service provider submitted invoices for payment to be effected after delivering the PPE. The procurement committee knew nothing about the awarding fop such a tender and requested that the service provider to bring the award letter.”
“On scrutiny of the letter, it was discovered that the content including signatures were fraudulent,” said provincial Hawks spokesperson, Captain Yolisa Mgolodela.
Mgolodela said a complaint was lodged with the Hawks’ serious corruption investigation team which led to Matinise’s arrest on July 8, 2021.
Following several court appearances, Matinise was convicted on January 26, 2023.
