The Hawks have arrested a 42-year-old company director in connection with tender graft allegations.
Babalwa Afrika Ngwenze was released on R1,000 bail after appearing in the East London magistrate's court on charges of fraud, forgery and uttering on Thursday.
Ngwenze, the director of Liphundi Project (Pty) Ltd, is accused of submitting a fabricated vehicle registration certificate to Amatola Water Board in a tender fraud case that allegedly costing the entity more than R215,000.
Hawks spokesperson WO Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana said the development section of Amatola Water Board advertised a tender application in 2020 for hiring water tankers to supply water to various communities within the Chris Hani District.
One of the requirements was that potential service providers had to produce proof of ownership of a licensed water tanker.
“It is alleged that Ngwenze's company submitted the fabricated document to Amatola Water, purporting it to be from the department of transport,” Mhlakuvana said.
“This misrepresentation allegedly led to her company being awarded the tender and she subsequently submitted invoices to Amatola Water for payment, which were paid.”
The matter came to light during auditing when discrepancies were picked up, leading to a referral to the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and later to the Hawks for further investigation.
Intensive probing by the Hawks resulted in Ngwenze's arrest on Thursday.
The case has been postponed to June 2 for transfer to the East London regional court.
Eastern Cape company director out on bail after tender fraud allegations
Image: SUPPLIED
The Hawks have arrested a 42-year-old company director in connection with tender graft allegations.
Babalwa Afrika Ngwenze was released on R1,000 bail after appearing in the East London magistrate's court on charges of fraud, forgery and uttering on Thursday.
Ngwenze, the director of Liphundi Project (Pty) Ltd, is accused of submitting a fabricated vehicle registration certificate to Amatola Water Board in a tender fraud case that allegedly costing the entity more than R215,000.
Hawks spokesperson WO Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana said the development section of Amatola Water Board advertised a tender application in 2020 for hiring water tankers to supply water to various communities within the Chris Hani District.
One of the requirements was that potential service providers had to produce proof of ownership of a licensed water tanker.
“It is alleged that Ngwenze's company submitted the fabricated document to Amatola Water, purporting it to be from the department of transport,” Mhlakuvana said.
“This misrepresentation allegedly led to her company being awarded the tender and she subsequently submitted invoices to Amatola Water for payment, which were paid.”
The matter came to light during auditing when discrepancies were picked up, leading to a referral to the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and later to the Hawks for further investigation.
Intensive probing by the Hawks resulted in Ngwenze's arrest on Thursday.
The case has been postponed to June 2 for transfer to the East London regional court.
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