A senior Eastern Cape education department official, his wife and another man have appeared in court in connection with a R4m school personal protective equipment (PPE) fraud, corruption and money-laundering case.
Chief director for supply chain management Marius Harmse, his wife Elanore Harmse and director of Kups Trading Sigqibo Makupula appeared in the Zwelitsha magistrate’s court in East London on Wednesday and were each granted R10,000 bail.
The arrests and court appearance after a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe which revealed Kups Trading was paid R4m by the department on August 31 2020 for a PPE contract signed off by Harmse.
In return, Makupula allegedly purchased a Mercedes-Benz V-class for Harmse through an elaborate scheme involving three deals initiated with a payment of R328,000.
The money Makupula paid, ostensibly as a deposit for the first transaction, was laundered through three transactions and embedded in the last transaction, which secured the vehicle for Harmse’s benefit.
In September 2022, the Asset Forfeiture Unit obtained a preservation order to impound the vehicle.
The SIU investigation came after President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a proclamation which authorised the SIU to investigate Covid-19-related contracts in state institutions for procurement or contracting for goods, works and services during the national state of disaster.
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Eastern Cape education official, wife in court for school PPE fraud
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A senior Eastern Cape education department official, his wife and another man have appeared in court in connection with a R4m school personal protective equipment (PPE) fraud, corruption and money-laundering case.
Chief director for supply chain management Marius Harmse, his wife Elanore Harmse and director of Kups Trading Sigqibo Makupula appeared in the Zwelitsha magistrate’s court in East London on Wednesday and were each granted R10,000 bail.
The arrests and court appearance after a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe which revealed Kups Trading was paid R4m by the department on August 31 2020 for a PPE contract signed off by Harmse.
In return, Makupula allegedly purchased a Mercedes-Benz V-class for Harmse through an elaborate scheme involving three deals initiated with a payment of R328,000.
The money Makupula paid, ostensibly as a deposit for the first transaction, was laundered through three transactions and embedded in the last transaction, which secured the vehicle for Harmse’s benefit.
In September 2022, the Asset Forfeiture Unit obtained a preservation order to impound the vehicle.
The SIU investigation came after President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a proclamation which authorised the SIU to investigate Covid-19-related contracts in state institutions for procurement or contracting for goods, works and services during the national state of disaster.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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