Colleague ‘recognised’ Pankie’s signature
A FORMER colleague of fraud accused Portia “Pankie” Sizani said he recognised her signature on the assumption of duty forms through which the state alleges she appointed ghost teachers.
Sizani, 46, of Summerstrand, the wife of ANC parliamentary chief whip Stone Sizani, has pleaded not guilty in the Port Elizabeth Commercial Crimes Court to defrauding the Eastern Cape Department of Education out of about R1.2-million between January 2009 and November 2010.
Sizani, who worked in the department’s early childhood development centre, would allegedly obtain the personal details of teachers, apply for posts on their behalf and falsify the principal’s signature of approval.
Once the money was paid into their accounts, Sizani would allegedly inform them it was a mistake and the money should be withdrawn and paid back to her.
Henry Petersen, who worked with Sizani, said while he could not identify the signatures of the principals on the forms, he could clearly see where Sizani had signed on behalf of the department.
But, as far as he knew, she had permission to do so.
Defence advocate Johan Wessels said Petersen’s evidence was merely “opinion evidence” and should not be allowed, but the court said it would decide at a later stage how much weight it would place on his testimony.