East London: Thembisa Silvia Fikeni, aged 44, appeared in the East London Magistrate’s Court following her arrest on charges of fraud, forgery, uttering, and theft. The director of Izibongo Zam Trading was apprehended by the East London Serious Corruption Investigation team of the Hawks on November 14, 2024.

According to South African Police Service, the allegations date back to August 21, 2020, when the Development Section of Amatola Water advertised a tender for hiring water tankers to supply various communities in the Butterworth areas. A key requirement for the tender was the possession of a licensed water tanker by the prospective service provider.

On August 28, 2020, Fikeni’s company allegedly submitted a fraudulent vehicle registration certificate, falsely claiming it was issued by the Department of Transport’s Licensing Authorities. This misrepresentation resulted in Fikeni’s company being deemed suitable and winning the tender. After fulfilling the contract, Fikeni submitted invoices to Amatola for
payment, which were processed and paid. However, discrepancies surfaced during an audit, prompting a referral to the Specialised Investigation Unit (SIU) and subsequently to the Hawks for an in-depth investigation.

The Hawks’ investigation confirmed that Amatola Water suffered a financial loss exceeding R217,000 due to the fraudulent activities. This led to Fikeni’s arrest on November 14, 2024. She was granted bail of R2,500 during her court appearance on November 15, 2024, and the case has been postponed until December 12, 2024, for transfer to the East London Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.