Cape Town – South Cape TVET College’s former CEO and principal, who was arrested with seven other people over a R24 million tender fraud, has reportedly been released on a R10 000 bail.
The suspects aged between 36 and 60 charged with corruption, sixteen counts of fraud, alternatively theft, appeared at the George Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
The Hawks alleged that between 2009 and mid-2014, the suspects, who were employees and contractors at the institution, submitted non-compliance bid documents and quotations for construction and renovations across several campuses.
According to Hawks’ Zinzi Hani, an investigation revealed that the then CEO influenced other officials to disregard tender processes in order for the scheme to benefit the involved entities which resulted in the college suffering a loss of more than R24 million.
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“This then led to the matter being reported with the Hawks in 2014 by the Department of Higher Education after it was established by the college that the funds meant for the construction of the college – were used by the suspects to enrich themselves. The eight suspects will be charged with corruption, 16 counts of fraud, alternatively theft,” said Hani.
News24 reported that the former CEO was released on a R10 ooo bail while the rest of the accused were released on bail ranging from R2 000 to R5 000 bail.
The case was postponed to 11 May and will be transferred to the George Regional Court, the report said.
More arrests were imminent, said Hani.
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Compiled by Olwethu Mpeshe
