Court upholds order to evict former council employee

DRAKENSTEIN municipality has won a High Court order to evict a former employee from staff housing four years after the man was jailed for fraud and corruption.

Judge Nobahle Mangcu-Lockwood granted the municipality the eviction order which had been applied for in 2019.

Shamiel Cupido had been a senior clerk with the municipality before he and a colleague at the municipality were sentenced by the Paarl Regional Court in 2017 to 15 years’ imprisonment for soliciting kickbacks from three different service providers.

Cupido and his accomplice were found guilty of having taken bribes from Paarl Auto, MAG and Wynland Auto between 2004 and 2006 in exchange for the referral of municipal vehicles to the dealerships.

During their trial, the National Prosecuting Authority established that the three companies had entered into a corrupt relationship with the Cupido and his co-accused to benefit their businesses.

An analysis of payment to the service providers made public during the 2017 case showed that between July 2004 and November that year, MAG received R600 098 for goods and services rendered to the municipality.

Wynland got R1 405 833 for goods and services between 2005 and 2006; and Paarl Auto benefited from the processing of fictitious invoices to the amount of R32 000.

Municipal spokesperson Seraj Johaar said: “Cupido was employed at Drakenstein Municipality and had entered into a lease agreement with the municipality for the rental of a municipal staff housing opportunity.

“Cupido is no longer in the employ of the municipality, but (his family) has refused to vacate the property.”