Mthatha Specialised Commercial Crime Court has jailed Ayanda Matinise(35) for 10 years for fraud, forgery, and uttering. Matinise created a fake tender awarding letter to a company to deliver masks worth over R23 million.
Matinise was working as a messenger in the office of the MEC of Health when he committed the crime.
He pretended to be the director of supply chain in the department and forged a tender award letter for N95 masks. The issue came to light when the company to which he gave the offer letter delivered the masks worth more than R23,4 million to OR Tambo District offices of the Department of Health.
“The service provider submitted invoices for payment to be effected after delivering the PPE’s. The procurement committee knew nothing about the awarding of such a tender and requested that the service provider must bring the award letter.
“On scrutinising the letter, it was discovered that the content including signatures were fraudulent,” said Hawks spokeswoman Captain Yolisa Mgolodela.
A complaint was lodged with the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team in East London. This led to the arrest of Matinise on 8 July 2021.
He appeared in court and was released on R1000 bail the very same day.
“The matter was remanded several times until his conviction on 26 January 2023. He was remanded in custody ever since his conviction,” said Mgolodela.