Pic: GroundUp
For almost seven years, six Emergency Medical Care Services (EMS) workers, employed by the Eastern Cape Health Department, managed to fly under the radar before it was discovered that they had allegedly submitted fake qualifications.
The group appeared in the Zwelitsha Magistrates Court on Tuesday following their arrest the previous day.
In April 2015 the six alleged fraudsters were employed in various positions including as an ambulance practitioner, basic life support officer and emergency care practitioner.
This followed a recruitment drive by the department during which 730 positions were advertised for EMS officers in all eight districts of the Eastern Cape.
The department said the requirements for the positions were, inter alia, a Grade 12 or equivalent certificate.
"The six officials applied, were shortlisted, interviewed and employed," the department said in a statement.
"They started on their positions on 8 April 2015."
However, in March 2022 - almost seven years later - the officials were requested to submit their original certificates, which they failed to do.
"The department embarked on verification of qualifications where their Grade 12 certificates were declared fraudulent and the matter was referred to the Hawks for investigation."
On Monday, the East London-based Serious Corruption Investigation of the Hawks arrested the six officials aged between 42 and 54 for allegations of fraud, forgery and uttering.
Department spokesperson Mkhululi Ndamase said five of the employees are still within the employ of the department, with the sixth one having resigned in 2022.
They appeared in court on Tuesday and were released on R5000 bail each.
The matter was remanded to 11 September for trial arrangement.
The six accused have been identified as Palesa Molekane, 46, who worked as an ambulance practitioner in Aliwal North, 54-year-old Nonceba Maggie Mpelwane, an EMS controller in Aliwal North, Ntombizodwa Sibidla, 43, a basic life supporter at Burgersdorp, 47-year-old Lebuhang Busakwe, a controller in Aliwal North, Sicelo Sonjica, 49, a now-former emergency officer in Bizana and 42-year-old Sempe Mohare, an emergency care practitioner.
"The department welcomes any move that promotes good and clean governance," said Ndamase.
"However, because this is now a criminal matter handled by the elite crime fighting unit, the department cannot and will not comment further on the matter."
He said the department will cooperate with any investigation "that seeks to strengthen the integrity of the services that we render to the people of the Eastern Cape".
