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SIU welcomes prosecution of Eastern Cape health department messenger on charges of PPE fraud and forgery

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) welcomes the prosecution of Eastern Cape Department of Health messenger on charges relating to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) tender to the value of more than R23 million.

Ayanda Matinise, a messenger in the office of the MEC appeared in the Mthatha Specialised Commercial Crime Court on Thursday, 8 July 2021 on charges of fraud, forgery and uttering. He was released on a R1000 bail and the matter was remanded to 31 August 2021 for trial.

The prosecution of Mr. Matinise by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) follows an intensive investigation conducted by the SIU in the Department of Health which uncovered evidence pointing to criminal action and in particular fraud and forgery.

SIU investigation revealed that Mr. Matinise forged a signature of Director of Supply Chain and awarded a tender to a service provider for supply and delivery of PPE. The service provider was to deliver N95 masks to the cash value of more than R23, 4 million to OR Tambo District Department of Health offices.

The service provider submitted invoices for payment to be effected after delivering the masks. However, no payment was made as the procurement committee knew nothing about the awarding of such tender. The service provider was then requested to bring the award letter. It was discovered that the content of the award letter including signatures were fraudulent.

The evidence as required by SIU Act, was referred to the NPA and also to the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (Hawks) for further attention.

In 2020 the SIU was directed in terms of Proclamation R23 of 2020, to investigate the procurement of or contracting for PEE services in response to Covid-19 pandemic by State institutions and payments that were made in respect thereof. The Matinise matter is one many PPE matters referred to the NPA and Hawks for further action.

The SIU is working closely with the NPA and Hawks in this regard and we will continue to work together to ensure that all role players identified through our investigations in the alleged PPE crimes are held accountable.

Source: Government of South Africa

The net is closing in on those who defrauded the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) COVID-19 Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) benefit.

This was the case with Boitumelo Mashele, who was this week convicted after her company misappropriated R736 598 from the UIF.

Mashele was found guilty by the Specialised Crime Court of Pretoria this week and received a three-year suspended jail sentence.

“In addition, the court ordered her to repay R215 000 to the UIF after the disposal of her house, while the balance of R 521 598 will be recovered from a preservation order that was obtained by Asset Forfeiture Unit last year,” the UIF said in a statement.

The Fund said it paid money into a bank account that was provided by Ulwembu Business Services, where Mashele worked. The financial institution where the account is held alerted the UIF to suspicious financial transactions of the COVID-19 TERS funds.

Preliminary investigations showed that the funds were spent on Mashele’s personal expenses.

The Fund opened a criminal case with the South African Police Service and handed over the file to the Fusion Centre for further investigation.

Acting UIF Commissioner, Advocate Mzie Yawa, said: “Our continuous collaboration with different organisation such as law enforcement agencies and financial institutions adds value and credibility to our investigations, leading to the apprehension of those who have defrauded the Fund.”

This was the third successful conviction of COVID-19 TERS related fraud.

The UIF said it is confident more arrests will follow, as 16 arrests have already been made by the police.

“The UIF has further identified 46 fraud cases through the ‘Follow the money’ project and we are confident more arrests will be made soon,” said Yawa.

The Fund has so far recovered R827 million through the Follow the money project, and it is anticipated that more will be recovered, as the Fund has extended the project with a further 12 months.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) will meet on Sunday to assess developments in the COVID-pandemic in the country and the national response to this challenge.

The Council’s deliberations come towards the end of a two-week period during which the country has implemented Alert Level 4 of the coronavirus national state of disaster.

The Council meeting will be followed by meetings of the President’s Coordinating Council and Cabinet.

Source: South African Government News Agency

City of Johannesburg Executive Mayor Geoff Makhubo has died.

This was on Friday confirmed by acting Mayor and Member of the Mayoral Committee, Councillor Eunice Mgcina.

“Cllr Makhubo passed on this morning, 9 July, after being in hospital for a while,” she said.

Three weeks ago, Makhubo tested positive for COVID-19 and he was last week admitted to hospital after his health took a turn for the worse.

“We had hoped that the Executive Mayor would beat the virus and return to work and lead the city as we face this pandemic that has devastated lives and livelihoods. Sadly, it was not to be,” she said.

She expressed the city’s heartfelt condolences to late Mayor’s wife, daughters, mother and the rest of his family, friends and comrades.

The mayoral office said it, together with the Speaker’s office, would announce further details in due course.

The family has requested to be afforded privacy and space as they process the untimely passing.

They discouraged mourners from gathering at the home of the Executive Mayor.

Source: South African Government News Agency

An Eastern Cape Health Department messenger will face the full might of the law after he was this week charged with forging a signature in a document relating to a R23 million procurement contract for personal protective equipment (PPE).

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has in a statement on Friday welcomed the arrest.

The suspect, Ayanda Matinise, is a messenger in the office of the MEC. On Thursday, he appeared in the Mthatha Specialised Commercial Crime Court on charges of fraud, forgery and uttering.

He was released on a R1000 bail and the matter was remanded to 31 August 2021 for trial.

In the statement, the SIU said Matinise’s prosecution by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) follows an intensive investigation conducted by the SIU in the Department of Health.

In its investigation the SIU uncovered evidence pointing to criminal action and in particular fraud and forgery.

“[The] SIU investigation revealed that Mr Matinise forged a signature of Director of Supply Chain and awarded a tender to a service provider for supply and delivery of PPE. The service provider was to deliver N95 masks to the cash value of more than R23.4 million to OR Tambo District Department of Health offices.

“The service provider submitted invoices for payment to be effected after delivering the masks. However, no payment was made as the procurement committee knew nothing about the awarding of such tender. The service provider was then requested to bring the award letter. It was discovered that the content of the award letter including signatures were fraudulent.”

The evidence, as required by the SIU Act, was referred to the NPA and also to the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (Hawks) for further attention.

In 2020 the SIU was directed in terms of Proclamation R23 of 2020, to investigate the procurement of or contracting for PEE services in response to COVID-19 pandemic by State institutions and payments that were made in respect thereof.

The Matinise matter is one many PPE matters referred to the NPA and Hawks for further action.

The SIU said it was working closely with the NPA and Hawks in this regard and would continue to work together to ensure that all role players identified through our investigations in the alleged PPE crimes are held accountable.

Source: South African Government News Agency