Two sentenced for 2020 matric exam paper theft
Themba Daniel Shikwambana, 36, and Thobile Sweetbetter Duze, 48, pleaded guilty to theft.
The Hawks said on November 16 2020, the department of basic education received information about a possible leak of a mathematics matric exam question paper. The department was alerted via a WhatsApp photograph which was later verified and confirmed to be a true copy of the 2020 Mathematics Paper 2 exam paper.
Investigations revealed some pupils in Limpopo and Gauteng confirmed receiving the leaked paper via WhatsApp. The matter was then reported to the Hawks' serious commercial crime investigation team based in Pretoria for further investigation.
'On November 25 2020, Shikwambana, who was working at a printing company in Johannesburg where exam papers were printed, was traced and arrested in Orange Farm.
'Further investigation led to the arrest of Duze on June 10 2021 in Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal,' Hawks spokesperson Lt-Col Christopher Singo said.
The accused appeared in court on several occasions culminating in their recent conviction.
The court sentenced Shikwambana and Duze to a fine of R100,000 or 12 months' imprisonment, of which R50,000 or six months' imprisonment is suspended for five years on condition that they are not convicted of the same offence during the period of suspension.
The court ordered them to pay the fine of R50,000 in monthly instalments of R5,000 on or before April 2026.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
eNCA
2 hours ago
- eNCA
Drunk KZN taxi driver sought after causing accident and fleeing
EMPANGENI - KwaZulu-Natal Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma has vowed to take tough action against drunk and reckless drivers who flee accident scenes. This comes after a major crash on the R34 between Empangeni and Eshowe, where an allegedly heavily intoxicated taxi driver caused a collision and ran away. READ: SA's road carnage | Probe into two KZN accidents underway The minibus, carrying family members traveling from Empangeni to eMasangweni, reportedly tried to overtake a Ford Ranger before clipping its rear and forcing both vehicles off the road and down an embankment. Duma says the driver's actions amount to a hit-and-run and could have claimed the lives of up to fourteen passengers. He wants the suspect to face prosecution and a sentence of up to nine years in prison or a fine of R180,000. READ: Truck driver in the N3 deadly crash on the run This is the second case this month involving a drunk driver disappearing after a crash. Duma is urging the public in Empangeni and Eshowe to assist police with any information that could lead to the driver's arrest.
IOL News
4 hours ago
- IOL News
PRASA Scandal Deepens: R7. 5 Billion Rail Project centre of focus
The Prasa headquarters were raided on Wednesday. Image: Jacques Naude/Independent Newspapers A high-level investigation into procurement irregularities at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has intensified, following a dramatic raid by the Hawks at the agency's Braamfontein headquarters. While public attention has largely focused on Maziya General Services following the release of a whistleblower report, mounting evidence now suggests that some of PRASA's most serious procurement failures — costing taxpayers billions — may lie elsewhere. On Wednesday, the Hawks' Specialised Commercial Crime Unit, supported by the National Prosecuting Authority's Specialised Commercial Crime Unit, executed a search-and-seizure operation. Laptops, mobile phones, and documents were taken from four of PRASA's top executives: CEO Hishaam Emeran, acting chief procurement officer Asif Rehman, head of legal Nompumelelo Gamedze-Phasha, and chief financial officer Brian Alexander. Brigadier Thandi Mambo, spokesperson for the Hawks, confirmed that the operation formed part of an ongoing investigation, but declined to comment further. 'To protect the integrity of our investigation, we cannot disclose details at this time,' she said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Sources familiar with the matter say that Maziya's contracts went through all required internal processes, including evaluations by the Bid Evaluation Committee (BEC), Board Adjudication Committee (BAC), and the Executive. Notably, Maziya's work appears to be one of the few bright spots in PRASA's recent efforts to restore passenger rail services. Maziya has been actively involved in rehabilitating key corridors in Gauteng and the Western Cape. Trains are now running along previously dormant routes, and infrastructure upgrades are visibly in progress. In contrast, another massive PRASA project — unrelated to Maziya — valued at R7.5 billion, appears to have stalled completely. That project, which has already consumed R2.5 billion in public funds, was meant to refurbish trains and improve network reliability. Instead, many of the trains procured remain idle, in disrepair, or have been discarded entirely. With no clear operational outcomes, the R7.5 billion deal is increasingly viewed by insiders as one of the most costly and unproductive contracts in recent memory. Now, PRASA is reportedly exploring the option of cancelling that contract. However, legal experts are warning that such a move could trigger far-reaching consequences.'Terminating a contract of this size and complexity isn't something that can be done lightly,' said Mesela Nhlapo, CEO of the African Rail Industry Association. 'Even if there were procurement irregularities, the agency could face massive financial penalties or protracted litigation. These contracts often contain strict arbitration clauses and early termination fees.' Nhlapo added that the implications for the rail industry are broader than just this case. 'This is one of the biggest financial missteps in South Africa's recent transport history. The reputational and operational damage to PRASA and the country's commuter rail system is enormous. Investors and industry players are watching closely.' PRASA, for its part, has acknowledged receipt of the whistleblower's report and confirmed it will appoint an independent panel to investigate. 'The board takes the allegations seriously,' said PRASA spokesperson Andiswa Makanda. 'In line with our whistleblower policy, the first step will be to appoint an independent investigator.'
IOL News
10 hours ago
- IOL News
Public Works Minister takes action against alleged political abuse in Matjhabeng's EPWP
EPWP payments frozen in Matjhabeng amid claims of councillors receiving over R31,000 monthly; Minister vows to root out corruption and restore the programme's core purpose. Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson has halted all Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) fund transfers to the Matjhabeng Local Municipality. This comes after a City Press investigation revealed that the municipality's EPWP payroll is allegedly being used to pay inflated salaries, over R31,000 per month , to former councillors and current political office bearers, more than ten times the average EPWP stipend. Macpherson said the EPWP was never meant to serve as a vehicle for political patronage, but rather to provide short-term, skills-based work opportunities to unemployed South Africans. He has now instructed the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure to suspend all transfers to the municipality until a formal investigation is completed.
