A former municipal manager accused of fraud totalling almost R2 million has appeared in court after being arrested by the Hawks.
Frikkie van Staden‚ 51‚ who was responsible for road maintenance in Oudtshoorn‚ is accused of sub-contracting to his own company‚ which was allegedly fronted by his sister-in-law.
Hawks spokesman Captain Lloyd Ramovha said Van Staden “unduly influenced” the municipality to award work to Kamvelihle‚ a company he had set up‚ between 2010 and 2014.
“He allegedly merely used his relative as a front in order to do business with his employer‚” said Ramovha.
When payments were made‚ the sister-in-law would draw the cash from the company’s account and hand it to Van Staden‚ “who in turn paid her amounts varying from R500 to R1‚000 a month for her gratification”.
Ramovha said Van Staden‚ a former assistant superintendent‚ had been charged with fraud and corruption under the Prevention and Combatting of Corrupt Activities Act. The case was adjourned until April 25.
Another former Oudtshoorn manager‚ Martin Pietersen‚ who was convicted in December of swindling the municipality out of more than R2 million‚ is due to be sentenced on Friday.
Pietersen‚ 60‚ was convicted of five charges brought under the Municipal Finance Management Act‚ in what is believed to be the first case of its kind.
Between 2010 and 2011‚ Pietersen gave work to a company with which he had links‚ IBR Consultants‚ without following supply chain management procedures.
Both cases were investigated by the Hawks’ serious commercial crime unit.
- TMG Digital/The Times
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