7 to appear in court for dept fraud

2011-11-18 16:30

Johannesburg - Six former labour department employees and a physiotherapist are expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Monday for allegedly defrauding the department of R1m.

Department spokesperson Page Boikanyo said they faced four counts of fraud and two counts of money laundering.

The seven, who were not in custody, were still to plead to the charges. The group last appeared on November 2.

They are, Maxwell Ramaphosa, Samuel Mfeleng, Kgabo Methi, Debbie Venter, Tendani Mukomafhedzi, Billy Ramskin, and physiotherapist Abel Diokano.

Mfeleng and Ramaphosa are also involved in two other cases.

In the first, Mfeleng and Ramaphosa face charges of money laundering and fraud, along with Methi and physiotherapist Jones Modau.

This case will resume in the Pretoria Specialised Crimes Court on December 14.

In the second - relating to the department's Compensation Fund - they face 15 counts of fraud and 26 counts of money laundering.

For this case, they will appear again in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on February 22.

- SAPA