The Durban Specialised Commercial Crime Court convicted and sentenced Mphilisi Claude Mkhize (45), and Tholakele Gracia Nzimande (51), to three years imprisonment for twelve counts of tender fraud committed at the FET College.
In April 2013, the Mnambithi FET College, appointed a forensic company to investigate irregularities in the procurement of goods and services in the college. This was after allegations of corruption were levelled against the convicted pair, a procurement officer and a lecturer respectively at the same college.
Investigation revealed that in 2011, the pair conspired and manipulated the tender processes of the college, a tender for supply and removal of waste containers at the campus was unduly awarded to Mkhize despite the fact that no services were rendered, the college suffered losses of up to R273 756,00 as a result of wasteful and fruitless expenditure.
A case of fraud was reported at Ladysmith Police Station and the case docket was allocated to the Hawks’ members from the Pietermaritzburg Serious Commercial Crime Unit for further investigation. The two were arrested in May 2015 and appeared in court several times until they were sentenced on the 18th July 2019.
