Former Buffalo City Metro mayor Zukisa Faku has been sentenced to three years’ house arrest and community service at a Cambridge old-age home.
Faku was sentenced to nine counts of fraud after she was found to have misused a municipal credit card during overseas trips.
She unlawfully spent R15000.
Yesterday magistrate Sadia Jacobs said the crimes Faku had been found guilty of were not only limited to East London and the Eastern Cape, but were raging through the country like a tsunami.
“You flouted the trust bestowed upon you and accordingly, the following sentence is appropriate,” she ruled.
Jacobs then sentenced Faku to three years’ house arrest – except for Mondays and Fridays – between 6am and 5pm and Sundays between 8am and 12pm.
She may not leave her home on Saturdays.
Jacobs said the house arrest would not apply when Faku was doing her community service, going to church, hospitalised or consulting with a doctor with written proof.
“ must perform community service without compensation for a period of 16 hours per month, for half of her sentence. The community service shall consist of duties at Silverton Old Age Home,” Jacobs said.
Faku was further ordered to attend programmes that are designed to better offenders and be assessed by social workers.
Jacobs also ordered Faku to attend an orientation and responsibility programme.
Part of Jacobs’ sentence prohibits Faku from using alcohol or any drugs not prescribed by a medical practitioner.
Her warning was extended.
Before she was sentenced, Faku’s legal representative, advocate Sakhele Poswa, said his client was willing to pay a fine instead.
Faku told the court that as a member of parliament, she earned R40000 per month and could only afford R2000 as a fine.
Following the sentence, Faku indicated that she would file an application for leave to appeal.
The application will be heard on Friday.
ANC parliamentary chief whip Jackson Mthembu said it was news to them that Faku was appearing in court this week.
Asked what the ruling party will do now that Faku, a member of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), has been found guilty and sentenced in a court of law, he said: “We will have to take a decision after studying the court papers on Faku’s sentencing. “
In April 2013, Faku resigned as Buffalo City Metro councillor and took up a position as a member of the provincial legislature in Bhisho.
She later moved to Cape Town’s national parliament where she took a position that was left vacant by Siphiwo Mazosiwe who had served as a permanent delegate in the NCOP for four years.
ANC national spokesman Zizi Kodwa said: “I am not familiar with the rules of parliament but a person who has been found guilty of a criminal charge and sentence without an option of a fine, that person cannot represent the ANC in parliament,” said Kodwa. — Additional reporting Bongani Fuzile
House arrest for ex-BCM mayor
Faku was sentenced to nine counts of fraud after she was found to have misused a municipal credit card during overseas trips.
She unlawfully spent R15000.
Yesterday magistrate Sadia Jacobs said the crimes Faku had been found guilty of were not only limited to East London and the Eastern Cape, but were raging through the country like a tsunami.
“You flouted the trust bestowed upon you and accordingly, the following sentence is appropriate,” she ruled.
Jacobs then sentenced Faku to three years’ house arrest – except for Mondays and Fridays – between 6am and 5pm and Sundays between 8am and 12pm.
She may not leave her home on Saturdays.
Jacobs said the house arrest would not apply when Faku was doing her community service, going to church, hospitalised or consulting with a doctor with written proof.
“ must perform community service without compensation for a period of 16 hours per month, for half of her sentence. The community service shall consist of duties at Silverton Old Age Home,” Jacobs said.
Faku was further ordered to attend programmes that are designed to better offenders and be assessed by social workers.
Jacobs also ordered Faku to attend an orientation and responsibility programme.
Part of Jacobs’ sentence prohibits Faku from using alcohol or any drugs not prescribed by a medical practitioner.
Her warning was extended.
Before she was sentenced, Faku’s legal representative, advocate Sakhele Poswa, said his client was willing to pay a fine instead.
Faku told the court that as a member of parliament, she earned R40000 per month and could only afford R2000 as a fine.
Following the sentence, Faku indicated that she would file an application for leave to appeal.
The application will be heard on Friday.
ANC parliamentary chief whip Jackson Mthembu said it was news to them that Faku was appearing in court this week.
Asked what the ruling party will do now that Faku, a member of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), has been found guilty and sentenced in a court of law, he said: “We will have to take a decision after studying the court papers on Faku’s sentencing. “
In April 2013, Faku resigned as Buffalo City Metro councillor and took up a position as a member of the provincial legislature in Bhisho.
She later moved to Cape Town’s national parliament where she took a position that was left vacant by Siphiwo Mazosiwe who had served as a permanent delegate in the NCOP for four years.
ANC national spokesman Zizi Kodwa said: “I am not familiar with the rules of parliament but a person who has been found guilty of a criminal charge and sentence without an option of a fine, that person cannot represent the ANC in parliament,” said Kodwa. — Additional reporting Bongani Fuzile
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