Ex-Free State mayor, accomplices convicted for tender fraud, corruption

The former mayor of the Nketoana Local Municipality in the Free State, Mandla Mamba, was found guilty of tender fraud and corruption on Monday, along with his two co-accused.

Mamba and the municipality’s former chief financial officer (CFO), Vincent Mkhefa, as well as Caroline Nketu, were convicted by the Bethlehem Serious Commercial Crime Court for fraud, money laundering and contravening the Municipal Finance Management Act.

Their conviction originates from a 2011 complaint lodged with the Hawks by a whistleblower who alleged tender fraud and corruption committed at the municipality involving the installation of playground equipment in local parks.

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Police spokesperson Captain Christopher Singo said the trio were accused of not adhering to the municipality’s procurement procedures for the project.

Mamba requested Nketu – a service provider who was not attached to the procurement – to provide a quotation for the playground equipment.

Nketu then submitted the quotation for the amount of R32,000 and later delivered the equipment. She was subsequently paid by the municipality for the services that she rendered.

“During the same period of time, Nketu was also requested to provide quotations for the same tender contract.

“Two quotations were then submitted for the amount of R198,500 each. Mkhefa authorised two payments to Nketu for the amount of R165,600 and R198,500 on two different occasions. No services were rendered by Nketu to the municipality,” Singo said in a statement on Tuesday.

“It was also discovered that Nketu paid R100,000 on two different occasions to Mamba. As a result of these fraudulent activities, the municipality suffered a total loss of more than R364,000.”

The case was postponed to 7 December for sentencing.

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