Postponement frustration for Endlovini community
The fraud case against two people, including one land affairs official, has been postponed after the lawyer failed to show up, much to the frustration of the community
MBOMBELA – Continuous delays in the corruption and fraud case involving their land claim has forced the Endlovini community to lease out their farm.
Board members who administered the money received as part of the claim, are accused of fraud, theft and money laundering. They appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
Community representatives who attended were furious when the case was postponed again.
“The farm is dying while this case continues,” community spokesman, Elvis Mgwenya told Lowvelder. “We started facing challenges with the South African Revenue Services which we could not sort out because we are not making money from it, so we had to lease the land out to a farmer.”
The case involves Jacob Zenzele Mncwango, Grace Mokoka, an official in the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs (Dardlea), and Skhumbuzo Nkosi.
They were members of the board which facilitated the money awarded to the community.
The claim was made in 1998.
The money was paid out to them in 2011 in order to develop a farm on the land.
A further R2,9 million was awarded to the community for the development of the farm.
An audit by accounting firm KPMG showed that the initial claim paid could not be accounted for. A case was opened against the board, with the community also approaching the office of the public protector to help.
Three other board members have also been accused. Clement Maseko, another Dardlea official and Thandi Nkosi, a hairdresser, earlier pleaded guilty and turned state witness.
Charges against Thandi Mndawe were dropped.
The case was postponed to Friday June 30 after the attorney for one of the accused failed to arrive at court.
“We have a deep interest in this matter, so we will definitely be attending,” said Mgwenya.
