R100k bail for ‘fraud’

A former dik ding of the Fisheries Department accused of failing to report fraud has been released on R100 000 bail after being busted by the Hawks this week.

Hawks spokesperson, Warrant Officer Zinzi Hani says the team arrested Siphokazi Ndundane, who is the former deputy director-general of the Fisheries Department and the current head of department for Rural Development and Agrarian Reform, on Monday.

“It is alleged that during the periods 2016 to 2019, the former DDG of Fisheries, committed acts amounting to contraventions in that she failed to report incidents of fraud that were brought to her attention in her capacity as deputy director-general,” Hani explains.

“Ndudane, in her official capacity, filed affidavits in the high court in which she asked the court to set aside the contract worth approximately R32 million awarded to a service provider on the basis that the contract/tender between company and department was concluded due to material and fraudulent misrepresentation.”

Hani said that Ndudane received information that a company had made misrepresentations in their application for fishing rights and this was brought to her attention for her to immediately revoke their fishing rights, and this would also disqualify the company from receiving any future fishing rights but she failed to do so.

After her arrest, she appeared at the Bellville Serious Commercial Court on two counts of Contravening section 34 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act (PRECCA).

She was granted R100 000 bail and the case has been postponed to September 19.

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