Cape Town - Eight people charged with fraud in the Technical and Vocational Educational Training (TVET) colleges sector have been granted bail by the George Magistrate’s Court.
Luvuyo Lennox Ngubelanga, Elliot Dyabaza, Prudence Dingiswayo, Patrick Mcedisi Mbebe, Pieter Johannes Sam, Andreas Khulekani Ngubeni, Nomathamsanqa Maude Msizi and Shamrack Njozela were arrested by the Hawks on Wednesday and granted bail yesterday.
The eight were employees and contractors of Southern Cape colleges.
Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani said they were accused of colluding “in violation of the relevant policies and procedures to unlawfully and intentionally submit non-compliance bid documents and quotations for the construction and renovations of the South Cape Colleges across all campuses in the district”.
NPA Western Cape spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said yesterday: “The George Magistrate’s Court has released on bail former Southern Cape TVET College CEO and principal, his deputy, and business owners, following their appearance on 16 counts of fraud totalling R24.1 million.
It is alleged that between March 2009 and August 2014, Ngubeni’s construction company, Inyameko Building Construction, was requested to submit 25 quotations for construction and related alterations for all South Cape College TVET campuses.
Ngubelanga, Dyabaza, Dingiswayo, Mbebe and Sam approved quotations submitted by the construction company, although there was no valid tax number, no construction industrial development board certificate, and no declarations form as supporting documents.
The appointment of the company led to the exclusion of other competitors, which was contrary to sections 1, 4 and 8 of the Procurement and Supply Chain Management.
Ntabazalila said: “Ngubeni and his company knew that the total payments of over R24m by the institution were not acquired fairly, equitably and transparently, let alone (by) a competitive and cost-effective process ”
They are expected to appear in the George Regional Court on May 11.