TOP HOME AFFAIRS OFFICIAL ON FRAUD CHARGES
Arrested for allegedly submitting false claims
A FREE State Department of Home Affairs manager allegedly pocketed thousands of rands by submitting false travel claims.
Bonakele Mayekiso was arrested on Friday after a lengthy investigation.
He was released on R2 000 bail after appearing in the Bloemfontein Regional Court. The case was postponed to April 3 for further investigations.
Mayekiso allegedly defrauded the department of R26 072.44 for travel claims between 2009 and 2011.
According to the charge sheet, which Sowetan has seen, the “state suffered financial loss ” because of Mayekiso ’ s conduct.
“It was established that some of these subsistence and travelling claims, signed and submitted by him, were incorrect and thus the state suffered financial loss to the amount of R26 072.44 as a result of the conduct of the accused ...” reads the charge sheet.
In just four days, Mayekiso made travelling claims amounting to more than R10 000.
According to the charge sheet, between July 18 and 22 2011, Mayekiso claimed a staggering R10 575.96.
On July 18, Mayekiso travelled between Bloemfontein and Brandfort, claiming R1 244.23 for 198km. The following day, he allegedly travelled to Maseru (Lesotho) from Bloemfontein, and then proceeded to Ficksburg, covering 483km. He allegedly claimed R3 035.17. Mayekiso again allegedly travelled from Bloemfontein to Pretoria, claiming R3 198. 55 for a distance of 509km.
On July 22, Mayekiso left Pretoria for Bloemfontein and claimed R3 098.01 after travelling 493km.
According to the charge sheet, Mayekiso lied in his claims about having used his own vehicle for the trips.
The charge sheet reads in part “... he did not travel in dates mentioned ... with his car, which has a 4-litre engine capacity ...”
It reads further: “The documents submitted by himself in support of his subsistence and travelling allowances were false and incorrect.”
Before his arrest, Bloemfontein police said they were having a hard time in locating Mayekiso. As a result, a warrant for his arrest was issued.
Police spokesman Colonel Malesela Langa said the warrant was issued after Mayekiso failed to respond to messages to contact the police who had visited his office numerous times.
When contacted by Sowetan about the allegations last Thursday, Mayekiso sounded surprised. He said in a text message response: “I am ... not sure what you are talking off (sic), so I cannot respond to this ... I realy dont (sic) know what this is all about.”