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The Asset Forfeiture Unit has frozen R23m in assets belonging to staff members in the KwaZulu-Natal prime minister’s office.
The unit immobilized various real estate and vehicles belonging to the chief financial officer in the prime minister’s office, Ziphathie Mboneni Cibane, his co-defendant and his entities.
“The measure follows an order issued by the [Pietermaritzburg] Superior Court against the accused in criminal matters that is before the Specialized Court of Commercial Crimes ”, the National Prosecutor’s Office reported this Tuesday.
According to the NPA, in July 2020, Cibane and three other main office staff, Nomusa Zakwe, Thobelani Makhathini, and Sithembiso Msomi, appeared in the Durban Commercial Crimes Court along with Gugu Kheswa of Phumalanga Communications. They were charged with bid fraud and corruption.
In October 2020, they were joined by more defendants: Pamela Hlongwa, Ashley Rose, Ntombimpela Mabel Majozi and Sybil Mataung, along with their entities and businesses, Roren Engineering, Nto’s Catering CC, I Dot Q, Set Apart Group, Isidleke Enterprises Pty. Ltd and Inala Business Consortium.
“The case of the state is that [premier’s office] Staff, working in the supply chain management section, illegally colluded and cooperated with these service providers to manipulate the bidding process. Restricted properties today have a cumulative estimated value of R23.3m.
“These include 20 real estate, including a boutique hotel and 40 motor vehicles. The articles will be kept under guardianship pending the result of the criminal trial. The defendants are free on bail and return to court on April 30, 2021, ”the statement said.
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