A trio of King Sabata Dalindyebo law enforcement
officials found themselves on the wrong side of the law when the Commercial
Crimes Investigations team of the Hawks arrested them on allegations of fraud and
forgery on May 19.
The three officials, sisters Tabisa and Pumla Jezile
as well as Nondyebo Mzamo, allegedly submitted fraudulent matric certificates to
apply for higher positions within the KSD Municipality’s public safety
department.
The trio made a brief court appearance before the
Mthatha Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on May 20 where they were all
released on warning.
Their case was remanded to July 4 this year for them
to get legal representation.
“It is alleged that between July 2007 and December
2021, the three unlawfully and intentionally submitted fraudulent matric certificates
to apply for higher positions knowing that they did not have valid matric
certificates,” said Eastern Cape Hawks spokesperson Captain Yolisa Mgolodela.
The three municipal officials’ fraudulent matric
certificates were exposed after the municipality undertook a skills audit as
part of its application for a Metropolitan City status application.
“It is during the skills audit process where
qualifications of employees were requested and discrepancies were identified,”
Mgolodela added.
The municipality reported the matter to Mthatha
Serious Commercial Crimes investigation team of the Haws for probing and their
investigations revealed that the matric certificates of the three were
fraudulent.
The conduct of the trio is said to have prejudiced the
municipality more than R18 million.
The Jezile sisters have been drawing salaries from the
municipality since May 2005, while Nondyebo Mzamo started working in the
municipality from June 2006.
KSD Municipal spokesperson Sonwabo Mampoza said the
municipality welcomed the arrests, adding that internal disciplinary process
will now unfold against the three officials.
