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NINE senior health officials and two suppliers were arrested yesterday by the Eastern Cape’s elite Commercial Crime task team in a major crackdown on corruption that is expected to run into millions of rands. They were surprised in a morning raid on government offices in Bhisho and King William’s Town.

The Daily Dispatch followed police as they dashed from one site to the next, rounding up the suspects and then booking them at the provincial police offices in Zwelitsha.

Among the accused are Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Health, Phumla Vazi; the Director of Supply Chain Management, Zanele Mnukwana; Director for Corporate Services, Nomthandazo Zitumana; and Bhisho Hospital manager, Nontumekelelo Manqina.

Mnukwana handed herself over to police in the afternoon.

All appeared in the Zwelitsha Magistrate’s Court on counts of unspecified fraud. They were released on R1000 bail each and will appear in court again on August 28.

Yesterday’s swoop is unlikely to be the last, and a number of other arrests are believed to be in the pipeline.

Police spokesperson Thozama Solani said they were doing all they could to arrest those involved in government fraud.

“We need zero tolerance with any kind of crime, particularly fraud in government departments. What we did is just a start. We are coming for more big fish.”

The raid was headed by Inspector Lupumlo Lwana from the Commercial Crime task team, a unit put together by provincial police commissioner Mpumelelo Landu last year.

The action started at 7am and the first suspect arrested was Vazi, who was hauled out of a provincial executive meeting in front of Eastern Cape premier Nosimo Balindlela, Safety and Transport MEC Thobile Mhlahlo, Health MEC Nomsa Jajula and other legislature officials.

Eight police cars were used to pick up the suspects, who were apparently caught off guard. At the police station they registered surprise at seeing their colleagues.

One of the fraud counts involves health supplier Sydney Mbhangcolo, who allegedly submitted a false invoice of R29340 to Bhisho Hospital for a job he never did.

Police documents show that hospital manager Nontumekelelo Manqina sent a deviation form to Vazi in November for the job that was supposedly carried out in June.

A deviation form is used when authorised signatories are unavailable to approve emergency work. “She needs to answer to those allegations ,” said Lwana.

Another service provider, Linda Sogawula, also allegedly invoiced for work she didn’t do.

Police allege health managers Zanele Mdladlana, Nontuthuzelo Cubeni and Mzikazi Nteyi requested permission for Sogawula to do a plumbing job at an Izele clinic, which was not done .

Nteyi and Mdladlana also allegedly told Sogawula to fix a clinic roof in Ethembeni Village which did not require repairs .

Sogawula was allegedly told to submit the invoices for the job, which was not done, and received payment for it. She was arrested at her shop in King William’s Town.

“It took us a long time to investigate these cases but we are hoping to arrest all those involved. We are fighting this and those who are involved have to answer for themselves in court,” said Lwana.

Two other officials who appeared were managers Nontathu Mjikeliso and Ntombozuko Tshofodi. - By BONGANI FUZILE