The National Prosecuting Authority’s Asset Forfeiture Unit has been granted a preservation order against the assets of well-known Kimberley businessman Somandla Sibisi, 40, and his companies Macronym 37 and Aphiwokuhle Holdings.
THE NATIONAL Prosecuting Authority’s Asset Forfeiture Unit has been granted a preservation order by the High Court of South Africa, Northern Cape Division against the assets of well-known Kimberley businessman Somandla Sibisi, 40, and his companies Macronym 37 (Pty) Ltd and Aphiwokuhle Holdings (Pty) Ltd.
The said preservation order is in respect of Erf 15017, Kimberley, also known as 9 Tiber Street, Royldene, Kimberley, which Sibisi bought for an amount of over R900,000; Erf 10376, also known as Live Café, which was bought for over R2 million; a 2013 model Audi A1 car, which he bought for an amount of R130,000; and kitchen equipment bought for over R300,000, delivered and installed at Live Café.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said that the property and the vehicle were allegedly bought with the proceeds of money received from the Northern Cape Department of Health through PPE-related tenders.
“This preservation order emanates from a case where Christopher Somandla Sibisi, who is accused number nine, his company is accused number eight, in the Department of Health Northern Cape PPE-related matter amounting to more than R26 million, made his first appearance together with twelve other co-accused on 11 October 2023 in the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court,” said Senokoatsane.
Sibisi’s co-accused in this PPE-related matter are:
• The former HOD of the Northern Cape Department of Health, Dr Dion Theys, 55;
• The department’s former CFO, Mosimanegape Gaborone, 53;
• The director of supply chain management, Montgomery Lifa Faas, 49;
• The deputy director of finance, Victor Nyokong, 39;
• The director: administration assistant of supply chain management, Siyabulela Booi, 38;
• The retired deputy director nursing directorate: communicable diseases, Elizabeth Dibueng Manyetsa, 63;
• The assistant director directorate: communicable diseases, Goitsemodimo Piet Moseki, 50;
• Macronym 37 (Pty) Ltd;
• The administrative clerk working for Macronym 37, Cleopatra Norman;
• An employee of Macronym 37, Macdonald Mampe, 62;
• Masedi Star (Pty) Ltd, a private company with limited liability;
• The director of Masedi Star, Obakeng Samane, 40.
The accused are facing charges of contravening the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), fraud, corruption, forgery, money laundering, uttering and defeating or obstructing the course of justice concerning an amount of more than R26.9 million.
“The preservation order, the arrest as well and the appearance in court flow from a multi-disciplinary exertion by the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU), the Special Commercial Crimes Unit (SCCU), the Special Investigation Unit (SIU), and the Directorate of Priority Crimes Unit (DPCI),” said Senokoatsane.
The assets will be preserved awaiting an application by the AFU for the final forfeiture to the State.
Senokoatsane said that Theys, Gaborone, Faas, Nyokong, Booi, Manyetsa and Moseki are also out on bail in another Northern Cape Department of Health PPE-related matter amounting to more than R16 million, which will be back in the Kimberley District Court on October 16.
