Support for councillor
Court packed as ANC’s Nombiba appears for fraud and corruption
APORT Elizabeth court was not big enough to accommodate the busload of ANC supporters dropped off yesterday to support Ward 20 councillor Bongo Nombiba when he appeared on a charge of fraud.
Nombiba is accused of pocketing the bulk of the money meant for the Thulamangwane Community Project, a non-government organisation which cares for the elderly and cleans schools in the community.
He appeared briefly in the Port Elizabeth Commercial Crimes Court where the case was postponed to March 8 for him to pay his attorney.
Nombiba was arrested last month and is out on warning.
ANC members and supporters packed the small courtroom, while close to 50 additional members, sporting ANC T-shirts and carrying signs which read “Ward 20 supports its councillor” and “#hands off our councillor” spilt on to the street.
Nombiba faces a count of fraud, or alternatively theft, totalling R20 000, and two counts of corruption.
According to the charge sheet, in September 2014 Thulamangwane secretary Zukiswa Mbhem and deputy chairman Mandisa Monco approached Nombiba to request a donation of R10 000 from the municipality.
“[Nombiba] instructed them to put their request in writing but not to mention the exact amount required,” the charge sheet reads.
He then allegedly addressed the request to the chief whip of the municipality at the time, Joy Seale, motivating a donation of R30 000 from the Ward 20 discretionary fund.
On November 4 2014, an amount of R30 000 was paid into Thulamangwane’s Standard Bank account.
“On November 6 2014, [Nombiba] approached the managerial members of the NGO and conveyed to them that the NMBM had approved the donation.
“He requested them to accompany him to the bank to confirm that the donation had in fact been deposited.”
Nombiba allegedly informed them that while R30 000 had been paid into their account, only R10 000 was meant for the NGO and that the remaining R20 000 belonged to him.
He only wanted R13 000 that day, while the remaining R7 000 was handed to him two days later.
Nombiba is charged in terms of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act, which means, if convicted, he could face a fine of R100-million or imprisonment not exceeding 30 years.