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Mega officials bust

FOUR Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency officialshave been suspended on allegations of gross negligence and fraud amounting to more than R100000.

FOUR Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency officialshave been suspended on allegations of gross negligence and fraud amounting to more than R100000.

The officials, whose names are known to Sowetan, allegedly irregularly appointed a local company, Mokwena Ngodela Logistics, for the purchase and installation of a CCTV camera at the agency's building.

Mega is the provincial government's parastatal responsible for investment promotion.

Sources in the agency claimed the business of Mokwena Ngodela was used by an official related to the Mega employee to procure and supply the CCTV camera for the agency.

"The account number used to invoice Mega is linked to a man who is a brother to the suspended employee," the source alleged.

"It would seem like the family of one of the suspended officials worked together towards defrauding Mega and Mokwena Ngodela Logistics in that the tender was irregularly issued by two officials.

"The work is done by another official while the payments were arranged by one official's mother.

"So, not only Mokwena Ngodela Logistics was irregularly appointed, but it was defrauded in the process by Mega employees.

"The supplier database forms are not properly filed by the supply chain management unit."

He said the forensic unit in Premier David Mabuza's office has ordered Mega to charge and suspend all four employees and follow appropriate disciplinary procedures.

"They instructed the agency's chief executive to lay charges of gross negligence and alternatively defrauding the company by undermining the procurement system against the four," said the source.

Mega's chief executive Nosizwe Nokwe confirmed the suspension yesterday but refused to give more details.

"There is a disciplinary hearing pending for the cases, details of which will be supplied once investigations have been completed," Nokwe said.

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