Former National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS) Chief Executive Officer, Joyce Mogale, has appeared before the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crime Court to respond for her role in an alleged corrupt tender involving over R113 million in 2016.

In a statement on Monday, the Hawks said it was alleged that Mogale, 66, signed a contract with Blue Future Internet and Surveillance (PTY) ltd for the provision, maintenance and support of end-user computer hardware for a period of three years.

“The adjusted contract stipulated that the amount involved was not to exceed R83 million whereas the letter of acceptance of the offer made it clear that the value of the contract was only above R25 million,” Hawks spokesperson, Captain Lloyd Ramovha said in the statement.

He said the NHLS consequently paid the supplier R113 million, which exceeded the value of the contract by just over R87 million.

“The former CEO has been charged for fraud and contravention of Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) following her misrepresentations to the Board of Directors at the NHLS,” said Ramovha.

Mogale handed herself over to the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team in Germiston on Monday morning shortly before her court appearance where she was granted R20 000 bail.

The case has been postponed to 17 September 2021 for a trial where she will be joined by her fellow accomplices who are also out on bail.

Meanwhile, in an unrelated case, a 38-year-old, Nomasonto Rikhotso who was employed as a manager at Power Life Global SA, was arrested for allegations of fraudulently transferring over R1.9 million into her own business Marindle Trading Enterprise’s account between April and May 2020.

Rikhotso has been released on R5 000 bail in the same Palm Ridge Court. The case has been postponed to 13 October 2021.

Source: South African Government News Agency