School governing body members in dock over R3.2m security tender

SEVEN school governing body (SGB) members and a private company appeared in the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crime Court on charges of fraud and corruption yesterday.

The Hawks said in statement that a company and seven SGB members were recently arrested. The accused are from the Western Cape Sport School.

Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani said the suspects included a director of the company, who was a chairperson of the SGB, James Ketelo, Mogamat Shaheed Khan, former acting principal Saville Fledermaus, Eric Peter Croy, financial manager of the school Nadia Maymam, teacher Two Boy Bekezela Moyo and Lesel Bronwen Braaf.

Hani said the SGB embarked on a security service tender process for the appointment of a security service provider in August 2016. The charges related to tender fraud amounting to more than R3.2 million.

“Investigation revealed that none of the correct procedures were followed by the SGB members and the tender was awarded to the chairman of the SGB from January 2017 to December 2019,” said Hani.

“The company received payments of over R3.1m for this period.”

She said they were arrested by the Hawks Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team in Cape Town between June and July and all suspects appeared yesterday facing charges of fraud, corruption, money laundering and contravening the Public Finance Management Act.

She said the matter had been postponed to September 7 for the accused to appoint legal representation.