WESTRN CAPE – A company and seven members of a local governing school body were recently arrested and charged with fraud as well as corruption. This relates to an amount of over R3,1 million tender fraud that was embarked on for security service of the school.

The seven suspects include a director of the company who was a chairman of the SGB (52), former acting principal of the school (60), three former SGB members of the school aged between (61-51), a teacher at the school and a member of the SGB at the time of the incident (50) and a former financial manager of the school (49).

The school governing body (SGB) of the Western Cape Sport School (WCSS) embarked on a security service tender for the appointment of a security service provider at the school in August 2016.

It is reported that during November 2016, the opening tender register recorded nine (9) bidders for the tender. Daring Security CC represented by the chairman of the SGB did not submit a tender.

In December 2016 the SGB reviewed the tender register and it was discovered that Daring Security CC had been added on the opening tender register. Investigation revealed that none of the correct procedures were followed by the SGB members and the tender was awarded to the chairman of the SGB from January to December 2019. The company received payments of over R3.1 million for this period.

They were arrested by the members of the Hawks Serious Commercial Investigation team in Cape Town between June and July respectively. All suspects are expected to appear in the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Friday, 30 July 2021. They will be facing charges of fraud, corruption, money laundering and contravention of the Public Finance Management Act.

Source: South African Police Service