KZN Cogta welcomes conviction in R7.5m staff fraud case

The department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) in KwaZulu-Natal has welcomed two remaining convictions of its former officials in the infamous R7.5 million staff fraud case that rocked the department in 2015.

The two former officials are named as Patricia Chule and Hlengiwe Hlela, who worked for Cogta’s supply chain management unit. The two will be sentenced on November 8.

The province’s MEC for Cogta, Sipho Hlomuka, said the conviction of the two “sends a strong message that embezzlement of public funds cannot be tolerated”.

Hlomuka added that the two convictions were in addition to an earlier sentencing of businessman Mex Dladla to 12 years in prison in connection with the same crime.

Dladla was the mastermind behind the embezzlement plan facilitated by the department’s two employees, the MEC said.

“The convictions are a boost to building an ethical state by eliminating fraud and corruption among state officials as one of the grimy restraints on the acceleration of service delivery to communities. This is a good day for the whole provincial government,” Hlomuka said.

KZN Cogta has in response to this fraud case significantly tightened its internal controls over payment procedures to prevent further fraudulent activities among employees, Hlomuka said.

(Compiled by Makhosandile Zulu)

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