https://allafrica.com/stories/201911280957.html

Former Eastern Cape Department of Education employee Zukiswa Wana (47), briefly appeared in the East London Magistrate's today, 28 November 2019.

Wana appeared alongside her co-accused, Milisa Ngcukana (41), Sibulele Mnyande (39), Mzodumo Sijadu (54), and Lowd Trading Enterprise and Ariona Trading 659. The suspects are facing charges corruption, fraud, money laundering and racketeering related to corrupt activities involving the Department of Education school nutrition procurement programme.

The matter was postponed to the 20 January 2020, for a Regional court date whilst all the accused were granted R10 000 bail each.

It is alleged between 2012 and 2013, the Department of Education in Eastern Cape was allegedly defrauded of R2.9 million by its employee attached to the school nutrition procurement program in collusion with service providers. Wana allegedly falsified invoices as if services were rendered and facilitated payments which were laundered through bank accounts of the service providers, Lowd Trading Enterprise and Ariona Trading 659.

She was responsible for processing payments of hostel fees throughout the province of the Eastern Cape. She would transfer the funds to unsuspecting service providers on the Department's data base and later approached them for a refund claiming to be erroneous payments. The refunds would then be deposited into other different bank accounts and spent on purchasing property amongst other things.