Crackdown on Corruption: Bloemfontein Court Charges Three with R25 Million Fraud

A significant fraud case unfolded in the Free State as three accused, Matlakala Amelia Lesabane, Obakeng Sobbrey Teele, alongside their business, Teebros PTY LTD, faced the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court on December 9, 2024. The trio is entangled in allegations of committing over R25 million in fraud, alongside charges of forgery and uttering related to government contracts.

The court learned that the issue surfaced after a corruption tip was reported to the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation unit in Bloemfontein in June 2022. Allegations pointed towards nefarious activities within the Free State Department of Health’s procurement process. At the heart of the scandal is a tender for the supply and maintenance of laundry chemicals and dosing systems to health facilities, allegedly manipulated by Lesabane, then a Supply Chain practitioner at the department.

Lesabane is accused of having demanded R150,000 in kickbacks from a bidder who was initially awarded the tender. Upon refusal to comply with the bribe, the tender was controversially awarded to Teele’s company, Teebros PTY LTD. The irregularities extended to fraudulent documentation; an LKW confirmation letter submitted by Teebros was declared counterfeit, exposing deeper layers of deceit in the transaction.

The gravity of the case prompted an internal probe by the Department of Health, which subsequently led to the involvement of the Hawks. The conclusive findings spurred the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court to issue arrest warrants, culminating in the duo surrendering to authorities and their court appearance on the same day.

Each accused was granted bail, with Lesabane paying R2000 and Teele R3000, reflecting the seriousness of the charges they face. The case has been adjourned to February 12, 2024, slated for transfer to the Bloemfontein Regional Court, where the accused will receive further legal processing.

This case highlights ongoing concerns about systemic corruption within South African government contracts, particularly at the provincial level, and underscores the vigilant efforts of law enforcement to address these challenges. The community and broader South African public await comprehensive outcomes as the judiciary processes the groundbreaking case.