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A person behind bars.
The former Head of Department at the North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management Bailey Mahlakoleng has been sentenced to two years imprisonment or R200 000 fine.
This is after he pleaded guilty before the North West High court today, for contravening the Public Finance Management Act relating to the SA Express matter.
His sentencing emanates from an investigation by the Hawks into allegations of flouting procurement processes when the North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management entered into a contract with SA Express in 2015 to provide airline services for the province.
HAWKS North West Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Tinyiko Mathebula elaborates. “Upon entering into a five-year contract with the department, SA Express appointed three different management companies for ground handling services. In terms of the agreement, the department had to pay an amount of approximately R409 million to SA Express and management companies over a five-year period. The contract ended after three years. The department had suffered a loss of R186 million. Over R83 million was paid to the three management companies. It was discovered during the investigation that no ground handling services were rendered by the appointed companies.”
Mahlakoleng reportedly confessed that he was only following political instructions.
“The main reasons for accepting the plea offer were that he did not receive any of the stolen funds and he is a first offender and acted under pressure when he yielded to the instruction from his political bosses not to follow correct procurement procedures when SA Express was appointed,” adds Mathebula.
