‘Top cops covered up tender fraud’

“A valid tax clearance certificate was only submitted this year on March 18. The tender was approved in November 2016 and it was granted on the basis of a fraudulent tax certificate.

“As far as investigators are concerned, the National Treasury would not have approved this tender had it known about the fraud,” the source asserted.

The source said more officers could be hauled before court as there was, allegedly, a concerted effort within the police top brass to cover up the supposed fraud.

“R64m had already been paid into (Manthata’s) account. The balance refers to the amount which was supposed to have been paid as well,” another source said.

According to the charge sheet, the accused “unlawfully and falsely forged” a written document purporting to be a tax certificate “with the intent to defraud” the National Treasury, SAPS and its accounting officer as well as the SA Revenue Service.

De Lange, through her lawyer advocate Papie Maluleke, said: “I strongly deny the allegations levelled against me… I respectfully say that the State won’t provide any credible evidence against me.”

The accused were all released on bail ranging from R15 000 to R50 000 and the case was postponed to March for further investigation.

De Lange retired from the SAPS last month after 35 years of service.

In June, it was reported that De Lange had been forced out of the service but that decision was reversed and she remained on.