COMPANY BOSS IN COURT FOR WATER TANKER FRAUD

EAST LONDON: News coming through is that a company director has appeared in court for fraud regarding a tender to supply water.

Identified as Zongamele Zingisa Mafuya, the director of Mafuya Investors briefly made an appearance at the East London Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

It is reported that Mafuya and her company appeared as they face charges of fraud, forgery and uttering per DispatchLIVE.

The 52-year-old’s case emanates from a tender that was advertised by Amatola Water in 2020 for the hiring of water tankers to supply water in various communities under Great Kei. 

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“There were numerous requirements for a company to qualify for the tender. One postulated that a licensed water tanker must be possessed by the potential service provider,” said Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana. 

“In August 2020 it is alleged that the accused’s company, through misrepresentation with the intention to defraud Amatola Water, ostensibly submitted a fictitious vehicle registration certificate purporting to have been supplied by the appropriate licencing authorities from the department of transport, while it was not the case.

“The submission made the suspect to be a suitable service provider for the tender, then she was awarded a tender to supply water to the areas.” 

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Resulting from the forged documents, Mafuya Investors rendered services and submitted invoices for payment to Amatola Water.

However, discrepancies were discovered during auditing and the matter was referred to the Specialised Investigating Unit and before it was handed over to the Hawks. 

In addition, the Hawks then established that Amatola Water suffered a loss of more than R216,000 but the director was released on warning and the case was postponed to September 18 – the case will be moved to the East London regional court.