EASTERN CAPE – The Provincial Head Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya commended the East London based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation of the Hawks for effecting a successful arrest of Sizeka Gwana-Ngalwa (46), the director of Chemshelf 6 CC, on charges of fraud and theft on 29 November 2023. Gwana–Ngalwa is the sixth accused person out of the 10 inclusive of business entities.
It is alleged that during the period between October 2010 and June 2011, the Ngqushwa Local Municipality appointed Harvey World Travel Agency to facilitate events by paying for accommodation and flights for municipal officials on numerous occasions. It is further alleged that an amount of over R790 000 was paid to various Bed and Breakfast Accommodations after submission of claims to the travelling agency for services not rendered. These included Mooi Plaas Lodge trading as Thathile Trading, Ronalberto Projects Trading, Haga-Haga lodge (as It’s Normal Trading) and DXK Boarding and Lodge whose director is long deceased and the company no longer functional. The money was also allegedly transferred from It’s Normal Trading to Chemshelf 6cc for which Gwana-Ngalwa is the company director hence her arrest on 29 November 2023.
During external auditing, red flags were picked up and the matter was reported to the Serious Commercial Crime Investigation of the Hawks for a probe which culminated in the arrest Nomhle Yvone Zongo (46), the former Ngqushwa Local Municipality Manager and three service providers who are Bonginkosi Mabandla (43), Sibongile Kose (33), Nkosana Kose (54). The suspect were arrested on 30 March 2023 and later released on R2000 bail each. Their matter was remanded to 19 June 2023 when Nomonde Mirranda Cowa (54) was arrested and joined to the previously arrested four. She was also released on R2000 bail.
Gwana-Ngalwa joined her co-accused at Ngqushwa Magistrates Court on 29 November 2023. She was also released on R2000 bail and the matter is remanded to 01 February 2024 for transfer to Regional court with all her co-accused.
Content retrieved from: https://www.saps.gov.za/newsroom/msspeechdetail.php?nid=49965.