File
The NPA’s Asset Forfeiture Unit has obtained a provisional restraint order against the property of Walter Qusheka, who is the director of Garden to Floors, a company implicated in corruption at the University of Fort Hare.
NPA spokesperson, Luxolo Tyali, said the order also relates to five other defendants, as well as Qusheka’s wife, with the current value of the assets under restraint at R14.3 million.
He said that value should increase as the court-appointed curator investigates the assets of the defendants.
Tyali said the company, which traded under the name, Qush, had a contract with the university which expired at the end of its determined period in 2015.
“However, a university official, Thobile George, the former Contracts Manager at UFH, unilaterally extended the contract on a month-to-month basis, resulting in a loss for UFH of R19.2 million. George did not have the lawful power to contract on behalf of UFH,” Tyali said.
The amount was made up of multiple invoices that were submitted to the university and were paid to Qush for services including additional cleaners, and once-off cleaning after events or accidental incidents such as flooding.
“Evidence also revealed that George received payments from Qush which amounted to R4 million and were paid into the bank account of a company that he is the director of,” Tyali said.
He said George, Walter and Vuyokazi Qusheka, Yolisa Songca, Lungelwa Finwana, and Yandiswa Sonamzi face criminal charges of fraud and corruption, and their matter was postponed until 4 August for a trial date.
Tyali said the granting of the restraint order demonstrates the in-roads that the combined efforts of the SAPS and NPA are making into cracking the corruption and criminal activities at UFH.
“These efforts are starting to bear fruit and will not cease until UFH is allowed to focus on its core mandate of educating students instead of constantly dealing with criminal elements in their midst,” he added.
