Sentencing delayed for Faku

The sentencing of former Buffalo City Metro executive mayor and ANC member of parliament Zukisa Faku was yesterday postponed until September for confirmation of her residential addresses.

Faku appeared in the East London Magistrate’s Court before magistrate Sadia Jacobs who, in March, found Faku guilty of fraud.

In her judgment, Jacobs convicted Faku on nine counts of fraud totalling R15 000.

It was revealed yesterday that Faku had two residential addresses – one in East London and one in Cape Town.

The Cape Town address was not confirmed in the probation officer and correctional supervision reports.

Although Faku is able to provide confirmation in two weeks, the matter was postponed to September 26.

Faku was charged with fraud in February 2010 after a group of BCM ratepayers, headed by then ANC Qinirha branch deputy chairman Mzodumo Dliwayo, opened a case with police.

In 2009, while mayor, Faku had used her mayoral BCM credit card during an overseas trip to Istanbul, Turkey.

While there she bought a leather jacket for R4 157, clothing for R875 from HoticBeyoglu store, an item for R4 527 from Selv KonfeksSvon and clothing from Iamaii Akkurt for R280.

When she returned she used the card again to buy goods at Edgars, A&D Spitz, Sun Goddess, and Red Square for about R5 000.

Faku had pleaded not guilty, saying guidelines on the use of the card were never provided to her by the municipality.

But Jacobs ruled that she distorted the truth and in her ruling she said: “Your evidence that you were entitled to utilise the money as you deemed fit because the municipality did not provide you with guidelines or that the guidelines were not applicable to you as you were the executive mayor, a public officeand not a government official, flies in the face of our constitutional democracy.”

Jacobs said due to Faku’s conduct, the municipality had suffered actual loss.

Faku seemed upbeat following the postponement yesterday. — vuyiswav@dispatch.