THURSDAY, 11.00AM:
THE Ngobeni commission into corruption in the Mpumalanga government on Wednesday produced documentary evidence showing that suspended deputy speaker Cynthia Maropeng deposited legislature cheques worth over half a million rand into her own bank account, after requisitioning the funds for a consultancy.
Maropeng was left dumbstruck when commission chairman David Ngobeni produced documents showing that she had deposited two cheques into her account, one for R216000 and another for R330000, which she had requisitioned from the provincial legislature, ostensibly to pay Phumelela T&T Consultancy for services rendered.
Said Ngobeni: “You [Maropeng] made a requisition [on June 6] to the legislature for payment of R216000 to the consultancy company, but the same cheque was deposited into your account on the same day.” He added that Maropeng had also made a requisition for a R330000 payment to the same consultancy for insurance cover for members of the provincial legislature last August 22. He said this money was also deposited into Maropeng’s bank account instead of being paid to Phumelela.
Both the cheques were approved by legislature financial director Jomo Siboza and secretary Wilson Ngwenya.
Maropeng’s attorney Mohlatsi Molefe demanded an adjournment to examine the documents, believed to be the original cheques allegedly deposited into Maropeng’s account. More new evidence is expected to be heard on Thursday.