How former health boss allegedly fleeced department of R1m

Three months after her first invoice of R530,000 was rejected by the health department, Nokuzola Mafunda registered her company into the government database and managed to rake in R940,000 from alleged illicit invoices. This is according to the state, who also allege Mafunda, 69, and her company Ithani Amen, received a tender of over R1m from the national health department in August 2023 without even having a banking account. The company was only eight-days old when it was awarded the tender.

It is alleged that senior department officials aided the company to get the tender. According to the National Prosecuting Authority, two months after the appointment, on 2 November 2023, Mafunda submitted an invoice for more than R530,000 to the department under her personal name and banking details, but it was rejected. “The invoice was not paid because the company was not registered in the Central Supplier Database (CSD) as per the National Treasury instructions and the supply chain management does not pay individuals.

It is alleged that on 29 January 2025, three months after the appointment, the accused registered the company on CSD and thereafter total payments of more than R940 000 were paid to the company between 12 February 2024 and 14 January 2025,” said spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana. On Thursday, Mafunda, a former health deputy director of HR, appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Crimes Court facing allegations of fraud after handing herself over to the police. Her co-accused, acting deputy director-general for corporate services, Malixole Mahlathi, CFO Phineas Mamogale and director-generalSabelo Sandile Butheleziwere arrested on Monday.

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They appeared at the same court on charges of theft and fraud and have since been granted bail. Mafunda was granted bail of R10,000. They are due in court again on June 3.

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