NPA freezes houses, cars worth R23m from KZN PM’s staff, businesses – the Citizen

The NPA Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) in KwaZulu-Natal, immobilized various real estate and vehicles belonging to the Chief Financial Officer of the Premier’s Officer (OTP) in KwaZulu Natal, Ziphathie Mboneni Cibane, his co-defendant and his entities.

The move follows an order issued by the South African High Court: Kwazulu-Natal Division, Pietermaritzburg High Court against defendants in the criminal matter currently before the Specialized Commercial Crimes Court, the NPA said in a statement. .

“In July 2020, Cibane and three other members of the Prosecutor’s Office staff, Nomusa Zakwe, Thobelani Makhathini and Sithembiso Msomi appeared in the Durban Commercial Crimes Court together with Gugu Kheswa from Phumalanga Communications. They were charged with bid fraud and corruption.

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“In October 2020, they were joined by more defendants: Pamela Hlongwa, Ashley Rose, Ntombimpela Mabel Majozi and Sybil Mataung along with their entities: 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 the staff of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, who worked in the Supply Chain Management Section, colluded and illegally cooperated with these service providers to manipulate the bidding process,” the statement read.

Restricted properties on Tuesday have an estimated cumulative value of 23.3 million rand. These include 20 real estate, including a boutique hotel and 40 motor vehicles. The items will be kept under guardianship pending the outcome of the criminal trial, the NPA said.

The defendants are released on bail and return to court on April 30, 2021.

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