Man sentenced for defrauding Amtola Water Board in tender scam
A 46-year-old man has been handed a five-year suspended sentence for defrauding the Amatola Water Board in a water tanker tender worth over R215 000.
Mthobeli Ngwenze appeared in the East London Magistrate's Court, where the sentence was handed down.
Fraud
The East London-based Serious Corruption Investigation team of the Hawks secured the sentencing of Ngwenze and his company after they were found guilty of defrauding the Amatola Water Board.
Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Avele Fumba said the case stems from an incident that took place on 26 August 2020, when Ngwenze, acting on behalf of Hard Castle Consulting (Pty) Ltd, knowingly submitted fake vehicle registration documents in a bid to win a service contract.
'The Water Board had made it clear that only proof of ownership of water tankers would be accepted. No leased vehicles or hired trucks were allowed.
'Despite this, Ngwenze submitted forged documents for a vehicle in an attempt to mislead the Board. As a result of his actions, the company was unlawfully awarded the contract and paid R215 776,' Fumba said.
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Guilty
After a detailed investigation by the Hawks, Ngwenze and Hard Castle Consulting were charged with fraud, forgery and uttering.
Fumba said they both pleaded guilty to the charge of fraud.
'On 25 July 2025, sentencing was handed down in the East London Magistrate's Court. The company, Hard Castle Consulting (Pty) Ltd, was fined R100 000. Ngwenze was sentenced to five years of direct imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years.
'The provincial head of the Hawks, Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya, welcomed the sentence and believed it sent a strong message that dishonesty in public procurement would not go unpunished,' Fumba said.
Chinese nationals fined
Last week, three Chinese nationals were fined a collective R400 000 after the South African Police Services' (Saps) provincial Organised Crime Investigation unit found abalone worth nearly R2 million at an Olierivier Farm premises on 26 April.
The men appeared in the Kimberley Regional Court on Thursday for contravening the Living Marine Resources Act and money laundering.
They managed to escape prison time after being found guilty and each sentenced to 36 months, wholly suspended per count.
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