Team to tackle false claims

The Special Investigative Unit has roped in the NPA and Hawks to assist in its nationwide campaign against fraudulent medico-legal claims.

SIU head advocate Andy Mothibi told the Dispatch: “We are collaborating to ensure that criminal referrals are processed speedily so that suspects can be arrested, charged, prosecuted and sentenced on conviction.”

Last month, the Dispatch reported that the Hawks were working with the SIU in the arrest of controversial Eastern Cape lawyer Zuko Nonxuba on allegations of fraud amounting to R30m. He was arrested in Mthatha and is currently out on a R80,000 bail.

Nonxuba allegedly submitted false claims to the department of health in which he accused nurses of being negligent towards two women giving birth in Mthatha and Ngcobo hospitals.

Earlier this month, the SIU, together with the Eastern Cape department of health, success- fully interdicted Nonxuba from making two claims against the department.

Even though Mothibi was not willing to reveal too much, he said that his team would be making more arrests soon.

“The role of the SIU in this matter is premised on the secondment agreement that the SIU signed with the Eastern Cape department of health. Based on the evidence that the SIU secondment team gathered in the course of investigation, it was able to assist the health department in the matter.

“The investigation into fraudulent medico-legal claims is ongoing and based on the evidence gathered thus far, we expect more arrests in due course,” he said.

He said that the SIU’s probe was not only Eastern Capebased but throughout the country.

“The investigation into the affairs of the state attorney covers all nine provinces,” Mothibi said.

We are collaborating to ensure that referrals are processed speedily