Bail denied for Tantsi in fraud case
MNQUMA municipal manager Sindile Tantsi was denied bail in his absence by the Butterworth Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
The controversial municipal manager did not attend court due to health matters. He is being treated in a private East London hospital under police guard.
His co-accused, Butterworth businessman Sive Nombembe, appeared in court yesterday before magistrate Freddy Dyongosi where he applied for bail.
He was released on R35 000 bail. The case was postponed to next month.
Pretoria-based senior state advocate Diniso Ketani prosecuted the matter.
The two men are facing charges of fraud and money laundering relating to a R10million refuse bag tender awarded to Nombembe’s company Big Event Boy by Mnquma municipality.
It is alleged the price of the rubbish bags was inflated to the point where a packet of 20 was sold to the municipality for R185 to R192.
They normally retail about R20 to R30.
Of the R10-million the company received, more than R2-million was paid to three people with code for names in what is alleged to have been kickbacks.
It is further alleged some of the money was used to buy a Mercedes-Benz C350 AMG in Durban and R35 000 of the funds was used to build a car port at the municipal manager’s Ntabankulu home.
Tantsi was arrested by members of the Hawks special task team on Tuesday morning on the N2 near Mthatha. Nombembe was arrested in Butterworth on Wednesday.
The municipal manager fell sick on Wednesday.
Police said he was experiencing stomach ailments.
Hawks spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said Tantsi’s sick note was produced in court.
Mulaudzi said Tantsi could not be granted bail in absentia and if he wanted bail, he would have to appear in court in person.
“He will remain in custody in hospital to recuperate until his next court appearance on March 27,” he said.
“Several items including a vehicle and confidential documents have been confiscated pending further investigation. The total value of the attached properties is R3-million.”
A Mnquma council meeting yesterday resolved to reappoint community services director Zonwabele Plata as acting municipal manager. Plata was ordered out of the acting position last year by the Mthatha High Court when Tantsi was suspended. —