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For Loyiso Sidimba 
3h ago
Johannesburg – One of the three top government officials charged with fraud, corruption and money laundering together with ANC Secretary General Ace Magashule approved a R10 million payment despite the Auditor General declaring the contract of R255m asbestos audit.
The payment was authorized by Nozipho Molikoe, financial director of the Human Settlements department of the Free State, to the controversial company of businessman Edwin Sodi, Blackhead Consulting.
She was arrested Thursday with the department’s chief engineer, Thabiso Makepe, and Albertus Venter, a lawyer who was a senior official in Magashule’s office during his tenure as Free State prime minister.
Molikoe, Makepe and Venter received bail of 50,000 rand from Judge Mxolisi Saliwa on Friday.
According to the charge sheet, the department processed a R10m payment to Blackhead Consulting in January 2016 after it was cleared by Molikoe in December 2015.
Sodi’s Blackhead Consulting was awarded the R255m contract to audit asbestos roofed homes throughout the Free State.
The payment authorized by Molikoe and others was made despite the fact that the Office of the Auditor General in the Free State determined that the asbestos contract was irregular in July 2015.
According to the charge sheet, Molikoe is responsible for ensuring that financial procedures and the proper, effective and efficient use of resources are followed within the law.
The treasury regulations of the National Fiscal Authority (NPA), which were breached, are applicable and binding on Molikoe, including effective financial management, the exercise of sound budgeting and budget control practices, the operation of internal controls and timely production. of financial reports.
Venter headed the legal department in Magashule’s office when he was prime minister, and prosecutors believe he had a thorough understanding of all procurement contracts in accordance with directives issued by the office.
“He was aware of the notification of a possible legal action against the Department of Human Settlements of the Free State and the subsequent legal action in the Superior Court of the Free State,” the charge sheet reads.
The NPA said that the plaintiffs in the matter, the district attorney, made serious accusations of dishonesty, irregularity and illegality in the hiring and appointment process of Sodi and his company, murder of businessman Igo Mpambani and his company, Diamond Hill Trading 71 , Abel Manyeki and his ORI Group as well as Seal Radebe and his company Mastertrade 232.
The Sodi and Mpambani companies established a joint venture and then outsourced the work to the others.
“There is a legal duty for the accused 16 (Venter) to report the possibility and / or suspicion of corrupt / illegal activities and / or fraud and / or theft to the corresponding unit of the SA Police Service”, indicated the NPA .
The district attorney attempted to intercept payments to the Blackhead-Diamond Hill joint venture in July 2015, but official opposition was unsuccessful in Free State Superior Court.
Makepe, according to the NPA, should have ensured the management of resources efficiently, economically and in accordance with the principles of fairness and equality as outlined in government policy, including effective utilization of personnel, maintenance of discipline, promotion of healthy work. relationships and equity in employment and the proper use and care of state property.
Magashule, Sodi, Manyeki, Radebe, head of the Free State human settlements department, Nthimotse Mokhesi, its director of supply chain management, Mahlomola Matlakala, former director general of the national human settlements department Thabane Zulu and Olly Mlamleli, formerly the province’s human settlements MEC and the former mayor of Mangaung returned to the high court on August 11 for a pre-trial conference after the matter was transferred from the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court.
MESS
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