Month: April 2024

The Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) has secured a R43 million preservation order emanating from a case of fraud and theft opened by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Embassy against that country’s former Defence Attaché to South Africa, Brigadier Ngoy Timothee Makwamba.

The order was handed down in the Pretoria High Court and is to preserve four properties and two bank accounts.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Lumka Mahanjana, one of Makwamba’s duties as the defence attaché was to purchase weapons from South Africa’s state-owned defence, security and related technology company, Denel.

‘The DRC embassy then made a payment of R49.6 million to the Denel group. However, the Denel Group could not process the order and arranged to pay back the money to the DRC Embassy.

‘In December 2022, the DRC government terminated Brigadier Ngoy’s contract, and was no longer mandated to represent the country. Instead, Brigadier Ngoy fraudulently and unlawfully represented himself to Denel as th
e delegated representative of DRC. He was still a signatory of the Defence account of the DRC and had the authority to instruct them on where to make the refund payment.

‘Brigadier Ngoy then provided the Denel Group with bank account details belonging to Johan van Heerden Attorneys where the Denel Group paid the refund of R49.6 million on 13 April 2023,’ Mahanjana said.

She explained that the money was then transferred to bank accounts and used to purchase properties in the names of Ngoy’s children.

‘Investigations by the Financial Intelligence Centre revealed the flow of funds which led to the identification of two bank accounts. After obtaining the preservation order on 02 April 2024 the Sheriff accompanied by the Curator Bonis as well as representatives of AFU attended to the four properties to serve the preservation.

‘The four properties are now placed under the control of Curator Bonis. The next step is to apply for the final forfeiture order. After obtaining the final forfeiture order, the propertie
s will be sold at a public auction and the money returned to the DRC,’ Mahanjana said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has refuted reports claiming that two South African soldiers deployed as part of the Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC) have surrendered to M23 rebels.

According to a statement released on Wednesday, this misinformation was found in various media reports, including the National Security News.

The same publication went further to report that the SANDF soldiers are now being held as hostages by M23.

‘We want to state categorically that all SANDF members deployed in the DRC have been accounted for.

‘The convoluted article published by the faceless Washington correspondent is dismissed with the contempt it deserves. This is not the first time such unfounded and baseless news articles have been written about the SANDF since its deployment in the DRC under SAMIDRC,’ the SANDF said.

The SANDF soldiers are part of SAMIDRC deployed to support and assist the government of Africa’s second-largest country to re
store peace, security and stability.

‘We view such attempts to discredit the Defence Force in the most serious light by faceless people, and will not stand and allow its good name to be tarnished.

‘The SANDF, as the authority for the deployed members, shall at all times inform the South African public about the situation and safety of its members in the DRC,’ the SANDF said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The luxury home and two vehicles belonging to former Eskom official, Duduzile Moyo, and her husband Mmoloki, are set to be auctioned off to recover losses suffered by Eskom after she allegedly received kickbacks from a supplier amounting to at least R24 million.

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU), through the Asset Forfeiture Unit, obtained a forfeiture order for the assets in the Pretoria High Court.

According to the SIU, the order is in addition to a preservation order to freeze Moyo’s pension benefits after she resigned at Eskom.

‘She had allegedly received almost R25 million from an Eskom vendor, Tamukelo Business Enterprise, which was appointed to transport raw materials and water from Kendal Power Stations to Kusile Power Station.

‘In her position as Eskom Contracts Manager, Moyo signed 23 interim payment certificates in respect of Tamukelo’s services for the period December 2011 to July 2014, totalling approximately R138 million.

‘Furthermore, the SIU probe revealed that Tamukelo and its represe
ntatives paid entities linked or associated with Moyo while she negotiated and managed Eskom’s contract with Tamukelo. Moyo’s modus operandi was to create structures of entities owned by members of her family and friends to receive these funds,’ the SIU said.

The unit added that Moyo’s conduct created an ‘apparent conflict of interest in that she received these funds in circumstances where part of her duties and functions were as a Middle Manager’.

‘Moyo was also part of a team that presented the negotiation strategy of the Tamukelo tender worth over R300 million to the tender and procurement committee. She also deceived Eskom and repeatedly made fraudulent misrepresentations, declaring that there was no conflict of interest when dealing with Tamukelo and other role players for five years when signing Eskom’s Annual Declaration of Conflict Interest Policy.

‘This forfeiture order is part of implementing the National Anti-Corruption Strategy, which sees law enforcement agencies working together to eradicate
corruption in South Africa,’ the SIU said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The Department of Higher Education and Training has reassured that the qualifications from four Educor institutions, issued or obtained during the period of registration and during the phase-out period, remain valid and recognised.

The announcement by Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, to cancel the registration of City Varsity (Pty) Ltd, Damelin (Pty) Ltd, Icesa City Campus (Pty) Ltd and Lyceum College (Pty) Ltd comes after the instutitions failed to submit proof of their financial viability to the department.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Nzimande noted that as the regulator of both public and private higher education in South Africa, the department was mindful of the potential impact that the decision to cancel the registration of the colleges might have on the ability of students to complete their qualifications.

Nzimande said in making the decision, the department considered the potential impact on students.

Nzimande assured the qualifications issued or obtained
during the period of registration and during the phase-out period remain valid and recognised.

This assurance was also communicated by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).

‘This means that the four Educor colleges — City Varsity (Pty) Ltd, Damelin (Pty) Ltd, Icesa City Campus (Pty) Ltd and Lyceum College (Pty) Ltd — still have an obligation to award the students their qualifications during the period of registration and during the phase out period.

“The four Educor colleges are also required to ensure that they conclude the remaining examinations or assessments for the remainder of the current academic year,’ Nzimande said.

The Minister reiterated that the department is willing to assist in helping to mitigate the impact on students.

In line with the Minister’s commitment, through its directorate responsible for the registration of private higher education institutions, Nzimande said the department is currently handling queries from students, many of whom have expressed their frustration
with the lack of communication and unresponsiveness from the four Educor colleges.

‘The department wishes to restate that the decision to cancel the registration of City Varsity (Pty) Ltd, Damelin (Pty) Ltd, Icesa City Campus (Pty) Ltd and Lyceum College (Pty) Ltd still stands,’ Nzimande said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Nine suspects were shot and fatally wounded during a shootout with KwaZulu-Natal police at Desai in Mariannhill in the early hours of Wednesday.

Police officers, who are members of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Stabilisation Team, operationalised intelligence about a group of 11 suspects, who have been terrorising the residents of Mariannhill and the surrounding areas.

The suspects were also sought in connection with a case of rape, where they allegedly gang raped a girl during a house robbery. They were also on the police’s radar for serious and violent crimes in the area.

When police caught up with the suspects, intelligence had uncovered that the suspects were plotting to execute a hit on someone.

Four firearms, one of them a rifle, have so far been found in the possession of the suspects. A manhunt for two outstanding suspects is underway.

Although the police were ambushed when they erroneously knocked at the wrong house, the tactically astute officers managed to retaliate and neutralise the threat wi
th none of them suffering any injuries.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) will on Thursday host the signing ceremony of the Electoral Code of Conduct by political parties and independent candidates contesting the 2024 National and Provincial Elections.

This, according to the Commission, is a special ceremony in which contestants publicly pledge to adhere to the Electoral Code of Conduct.

The Commission will also host a public draw that will determine the order of contesting parties on the various ballot papers.

Last month, the Commission made available the lists of names of independent and political party candidates available for inspection at its national office, at all its nine provincial offices and at local municipal offices.

Parties intending to contest the elections were given an opportunity to revise their lists and inform the commission if they had nominated candidates who also appeared on the list of another party or who were nominated as independent candidates.

In all, there were 42 candidates appearing on more than one
party list implicating 39 parties. Furthermore, one candidate was nominated as an independent candidate and also appeared on a list of a party.

The final list of candidates contesting the elections will be published by the Commission on 10 April 2024.

Voters are reminded that they may only vote at a voting station in which they are registered.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced in February that South Africa will head to the polls on 29 May 2024 for the General National and Provincial Elections.

Source: South African Government News Agency