The trial of the nine remaining accused in the Nelson Mandela memorial taxi scandal is scheduled to get underway in the East London regional court today.
The accused include Buffalo City Metro mayor Zukiswa Ncitha and her deputy, Themba Tinta.
The trial is scheduled for three weeks, with legal representatives of some of the accused who were contacted yesterday saying they were ready for the trial to start.
Advocate Mathew Mpahlwa, who represents accused Viwe Vazi, said he was preparing for the trial.
“We are ready … our preparations are going according to plan. We aren’t aware of any surprises unless they would appear on the day of the trial,” said Mpahlwa.
Advocate Mike Maseti who represents BCM councillor Sindiswa Gomba said “everything is on track and we are ready. Nothing has come our way saying there are changes or there would be a postponement.”
Ncitha, Tinta, council speaker Luleka Simon-Ndzele, Gomba and director in Ncitha’s office, Ondela Mahlangu, will be on trial.
Also appearing are ANC regional secretary Pumlani Mkolo, his ex-girlfriend Nosiphiwo Mati and current girlfriend, Zintle Nkuhlu.
Business people, Vazi and Dean Fanoe will also be on trial.
According to the charge sheet, R5.985-million was allegedly paid by BCM to local taxi boss Mzwandile Sokwali’s company Victory Ticket 750cc to ferry mourners to memorial services around the city after Mandela’s death in December 2013.
The Hawks investigated the case and Sokwali and his wife, Blanche Boti, were the first to be arrested.
The mayor and the rest of the accused were arrested later.
In December last year Sokwali and his company Victory Ticket 750cc were already convicted while Sokwali’s wife, Boti, was acquitted.
Of the money, a sum of R1.38-million was given to Fanoe’s Mantella Trading which was used to order T-shirts bearing Mandela’s face.
A further R899000 was given to Vazi’s company Forty Wings.
It later emerged that Mkolo’s girlfriend Nkuhlu, a Johannesburg-based lawyer, received R350000 from the funds through Lily Rose Trust which she co-owns with Sibongile Luthuli.
Mati received R100000 of this money. Some of the suspects have paid back the money to the state after the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) attached their bank accounts.
The AFU managed to recover R4.1-million of the R5.985-million paid out for the memorial last year. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za
Funeral fraud trial set to start today
The accused include Buffalo City Metro mayor Zukiswa Ncitha and her deputy, Themba Tinta.
The trial is scheduled for three weeks, with legal representatives of some of the accused who were contacted yesterday saying they were ready for the trial to start.
Advocate Mathew Mpahlwa, who represents accused Viwe Vazi, said he was preparing for the trial.
“We are ready … our preparations are going according to plan. We aren’t aware of any surprises unless they would appear on the day of the trial,” said Mpahlwa.
Advocate Mike Maseti who represents BCM councillor Sindiswa Gomba said “everything is on track and we are ready. Nothing has come our way saying there are changes or there would be a postponement.”
Ncitha, Tinta, council speaker Luleka Simon-Ndzele, Gomba and director in Ncitha’s office, Ondela Mahlangu, will be on trial.
Also appearing are ANC regional secretary Pumlani Mkolo, his ex-girlfriend Nosiphiwo Mati and current girlfriend, Zintle Nkuhlu.
Business people, Vazi and Dean Fanoe will also be on trial.
According to the charge sheet, R5.985-million was allegedly paid by BCM to local taxi boss Mzwandile Sokwali’s company Victory Ticket 750cc to ferry mourners to memorial services around the city after Mandela’s death in December 2013.
The Hawks investigated the case and Sokwali and his wife, Blanche Boti, were the first to be arrested.
The mayor and the rest of the accused were arrested later.
In December last year Sokwali and his company Victory Ticket 750cc were already convicted while Sokwali’s wife, Boti, was acquitted.
Of the money, a sum of R1.38-million was given to Fanoe’s Mantella Trading which was used to order T-shirts bearing Mandela’s face.
A further R899000 was given to Vazi’s company Forty Wings.
It later emerged that Mkolo’s girlfriend Nkuhlu, a Johannesburg-based lawyer, received R350000 from the funds through Lily Rose Trust which she co-owns with Sibongile Luthuli.
Mati received R100000 of this money. Some of the suspects have paid back the money to the state after the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) attached their bank accounts.
The AFU managed to recover R4.1-million of the R5.985-million paid out for the memorial last year. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za
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