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Eastern Cape Prime Minister Oscar Mabuyane’s top adviser Zandisile Qupe has requested a leave of absence after his appearance in Port Elizabeth magistrates court on Friday.
Qupe was one of nine people arrested by the Hawks in Port Elizabeth on Friday on fraud related charges. millions of rand allegedly diverted from the troubled Integrated Public Transport System (IPTS).
Qupe was released on bail of 100,000 rand.
Along with his co-defendants, he faces fraud and money laundering charges totaling R73m, after the nine allegedly colluded to divert funds from the IPTS.
Mabuyane’s spokesman, Mvusiwekhaya Sicwetsha, welcomed the action by law enforcement agencies and confirmed that Qupe had requested a leave of absence.
Sicwetsha said the Hawks’ arrests and charges brought by the NPA would help the government get to the bottom of what had happened in the IPTS hiring processes.
He said the provincial government was asking anyone with information to come forward.
Earlier on Friday, the state said it would request the National Director of Public Prosecution to have the matter tried in the superior court on a charge of organized crime.
All of the defendants said they would plead not guilty to the charges.
HeraldLIVE
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