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Two Free State municipal officials appeared separately in the Bethlehem Regional Court on Monday on charges of fraud, corruption and defeating the ends of justice.
Mbongiseni Solomon Nyembe was arrested by the Hawks' National Clean Audit Task Team for allegedly contravening the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) for the period of 2014 to 2015.
The 47-year-old is currently the acting manager of the Maluti a Phofung Municipality which was placed under administration in February last year after the municipality went "bankrupt".
Four other senior officials and a director of a private company previously appeared in the Phuthaditjhaba Magistrate's Court in December for allegedly defrauding the bankrupt municipality in the Free State.
The five suspects allegedly conspired and colluded during October 2016 and awarded company Zero Tolerance a tender to provide protection and security services to the municipality without following the correct supply chain management processes in terms of Municipal Finance Management Act, News24 earlier reported.
ALSO READ: Municipality ‘bankrupt
"Nyembe was granted R10 000 bail, and the case has been postponed to June 13, 2019 pending further investigation," said Warrant Officer Lynda Steyn in a statement on Monday.
Seiphathi Mavis Mabula, 47, also made an appearance in the same court on defeating the ends of justice.
Mabula, the Corporate Services director within the Dihlabeng Municipality allegedly attempted to interfere with the Hawks' ongoing investigations.
"It is alleged that Mabula has continuously interfered with ongoing investigations regarding alleged fraud, corruption and irregular awarding of tenders by the Dihlabeng Municipality," Steyn further explained.
Dihlabeng municipality made headlines last year after it faced a power cut because it owed power utility, Eskom R192 972 097.83.
ALSO READ: Hawks swoop on two Free State municipalities in R56m corruption probe
Mabula who was released on a warning, is due back in court on June 13, 2019.
