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A fake warrant of arrest and withdrawal of charges documents against Lawrence Mavundla, the former president of the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Nafcoc), surfaced this week, muddying its already messy affairs.
The documents which, on face value, first implicate and then vindicate Mavundla of theft and fraud charges, were leaked to City Press.
On verification, Hangwani Mulaudzi, the Hawks spokesperson, confirmed that they were fake.
He said the same investigator cited in the documents, a certain Colonel Mabena, was under investigation for allegedly pulling a similar stunt in Northern Cape.
“We do not have a Colonel Mabena in the Hawks. We are looking for this person because these documents are fake,” Mulaudzi said.
The two warrants of arrest, one for Mavundla and another for Mary Baggott, director of Zakhumzi, as well as the withdrawal of charges bear what appear to be legitimate dated stamps and are on police and court letterheads. The warrants were dated August 2 and the certificate of withdrawal of charges bearing the National Prosecuting Authority logo and the same court stamp was dated August 5.
Read: Nafcoc in turmoil as R14m goes missing
Zakhumzi is the company that was appointed to manage Gallagher Estate on behalf of Silver Vanity, Nafcoc’s troubled investment company.
Mavundla said he had not been contacted by Mabena and did not know him. Baggott said she did not know about the warrant and had not been contacted.
Mulaudzi said Mabena also issued a fake Hawks’ letter to the office of the MEC of cooperative governance, human settlements and traditional affairs and head of human resources of the Sol Plaatje Local municipality in Kimberley, stating that the investigation against the municipality’s chief financial officer, Lydia Mahloko, had been finalised, she has been cleared and her alleged suspension should be lifted immediately.
The letter, of which City Press has a copy, bears the same stamp from the clerk of the court in Tshwane Magistrate’s Court and was dated July 29.
Mahloko confirmed to City Press that she had spoken to Mabena but had not met him. She said although she was not actually suspended, she was not working at the municipality. The number she had for Mabena was the same given by the source who produced the two warrants. Attempts to get hold of Mabena were unsuccessful.
Earlier this year one case of fraud and theft was opened by the Nafcoc faction previously aligned to Joe Hlongwane in Pretoria and another in Sandton by Nkosana Thobela. The organisation is also experiencing a lot of infighting with two parallel council meetings held a fortnight ago and both groups resolving to suspend each other.
Nafcoc seems to be experiencing trouble on a number of fronts. What should it do to improve its reputation?
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