A man appeared in the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday accused of certifying defective condoms in exchange for cash, said Gauteng police.
Sphiwe Fikizolo faces charges of fraud and corruption. Police spokesperson Captain Percy Morokane said Fikizolo’s case was postponed to August 23 and he was released on R2 000 bail.
Fikizolo, an employee at the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), was arrested at his home in Pretoria East on Wednesday morning. He had allegedly passed condoms, which had failed quality tests, in exchange for money.
”It is alleged that while in the employment of the SABS, Fikizolo illegally received money to approve changes to official reports of condoms that required testing,” said Morokane.
The condoms were made by Latex Surgical Products.
The Sowetan reported that the SABS had since suspended the man. It reported that people’s lives had been placed in danger after some free Choice condoms — which had failed the tests — had been passed out to the public.
Morokane said further arrests are expected. ”The message we want to put through is that companies should not be afraid to report misconduct in the workplace. We are urging companies to come forward and report white-collar crimes to police,” he said. — Sapa