Key Points
- A former government employee together with their business partner received arrest warrants for their involvement in tender fraud activities.
- The perpetrators carried out a R795,000 fraud by misusing their government contract to obtain personal profit.
- A transfer of case proceedings will go to the East London Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.
A former Eastern Cape government employee together with her partner received arrest for alleged manipulation of a R795,000 tender process to benefit their company in 2013.
Tender fraud scheme exposed
Sibongile Qaba appeared before Zwelitsha Magistrate’s Court as a 38-year-old Supply Chain Management employee of Eastern Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism Enviro while her 33-year-old partner Ngwekazi Aphiwe Makaba joined as the sole director of ALGOADOX Pty (LTD).
The arrests made by Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) originated from a corruption scheme started ten years ago.
The accused suggested to a department manager that they should push forward the tender deadline to guarantee that the contract would be obtained by her partner’s company ALGOADOX Pty (LTD).
Tender manipulation and financial loss
The government released the tender dated December 10, 2013 for printing materials about air quality together with waste management and climate change.
While working at the SCM division Qaba used her official position to choose ALGOADOX as the successful bidding company for the contract.
The department incurred R795,000 worth of financial damage due to manipulations alleged by investigators.
According to Mhlakuvana the investigators from Hawks performed a thorough examination which proved Qaba together with her business partner manipulated the tender procedures for their personal gain resulting in tender fraud.
Legal proceedings
The two suspects received R2,000 bail each while the next hearing date is May 14. Further court proceedings will take place at the East London Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.
