Fraudsters to get 'hefty' fines
2008-04-24 13:05
Durban - National Housing Minister Dr Lindiwe Sisulu, late on Wednesday, welcomed a court decision to impose "hefty" fines on 11 KwaZulu-Natal government officials who pleaded guilty to housing fraud in the Pietermaritzburg Regional Court.
The 11 accused - including teachers and school principals - appeared in court on Wednesday morning for fraudulently acquiring subsidised houses. The court heard that the accused had falsely claimed in affidavits that they were unemployed at the time of the applications.
Their fines ranged between R3 000 and R10 000.
However, the sentences were suspended on condition that they did not engage in similar fraudulent activities.
"We welcome the decision ... We are committed to rooting out corruption more especially within the public sector and we will leave no stone unturned to ensure that all the unscrupulous fraudsters are brought to book," said Sisulu.
Xolani Xundu, Local Government spokesperson said all eleven fraudsters had signed an Admission of Debt and had undertaken to pay back the money for the houses with interest.
"The offenders will keep the houses as long as they adhere to the conditions in the Admission of Debt they signed, failing which the suspended sentences will become effective," he said.
Thousands of other public servants, meanwhile, face similar prosecution.
- SAPA