Johannesburg - The fraud accused director-general from the KZN Premier's Office has been released on R25 000 bail after spending over four nights behind bars this week.
Nonhlanhla Mkhize, the director-general for the KZN Premier's Office was arrested earlier this week in relation with a November 2018 Mhlatuze Water procurement project, where Mhlatuze Water as a public entity, had to appoint a panel of legal service providers to render services on an ad-hoc basis over three years.
She was arrested alongside Siphiwe Mabaso, Sthembelo Ralph Mhlanga and Mthokozisi Pius Duze, who all appeared in the Durban Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Friday.
Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, the NPA spokesperson in KZN, said the four suspects were charged with intimidation, defeating/obstructing the course of justice and fraud.
She said: “The state alleges they committed a fraudulent procurement process to the value of R37 million which was uncovered at Mhlatuze Water during an internal audit”.
Ramkisson-Kara said the public entity Mhlathuze Water had to appoint a panel of legal service providers to render services on an ad-hoc basis over a three year period.
“Duze, Mhlanga and two other accused who were released on bail on Tuesday, Thabiso Khumalo and Babongile Mnyandu, are charged with fraud amounting to R37 million and corruption.
“While the court fixed bail for Mkhize at R25 000, the magistrate remanded the other three applicants to September 6, 2022, for a ruling on their bail application. His reason for this is that at this stage, he is only able to decide in respect of Mkhize, due to the voluminous information and evidence that he had to study.
“He needs time to consider the application of the others.
“Also, the court found that Mkhize played a limited role in the commission of the fraud and was warned to return to court on December 6, 2022,” said Ramkisson-Kara.
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