SOUTHERN CAPE NEWS - Mzwanele "Major" Sokopo (42), the ANC Regional Secretary of the Southern Cape, and his alleged accomplice, a 49-year old female from Port Elizabeth, appeared in the George Magistrates Court on Tuesday 4 October.

 

They are being charged for fraud and contravening the Value Added Tax (VAT) Act at an estimated value of R16 million.

The two suspects were not asked to plead. The case was remanded until Thursday 24 November.

 

The two suspects were warned by the Hawks' Commercial Crime Unit on Tuesday 13 September to appear in court, following a lengthy internal SARS investigation relating to unclaimed Input VAT claims by several Western Cape municipalities, for the period 2009 to 2011.

 

Hawks' Spokesperson Captain Lloyd Ramovha, said a tax consultant company under the duo's directorship was contracted by Oudtshoorn, Ventersdorp and Plettenberg Bay Municipalities to assist in recovering unclaimed Input VAT, and in return the entity was paid lucratively for each successful tax recovery made.

 

The investigation laid bare the fact that the said entity was allegedly inflating their VAT assessment figures as it stood to benefit directly from doing so.

 

Claims were allegedly repeatedly submitted, even on items already claimed in previous periods, or claimed on items which are prohibited by the VAT Act, resulting in the South African Receiver of Revenue suffering losses to the tune of approximately R16 mil.

 

The pair's alleged unlawful exploits were brought to a halt by the probe.

 

Faiz Jacobs, Western Cape ANC Provincial Secretary, said he was unaware Sokopo had appeared in court, but phoned back shortly, saying he had just spoken to Sokopo who confirmed that he had indeed been in court.

 

Jacobs added: "The ANC respects the rule of law and the law must take its course. Sokopo didn't use his position in the ANC to solicit the tenders. It was purely business transactions."

 

When the George Herald approached Sokopo for comment, he refused to respond to the charges against him, but demanded to know who tipped off the newspaper. "I want the names, so that I can deal with them," he said. When the journalist refused to divulge his source, Sokopo put down the phone.

 

In response to an article regarding the court appearance in the George Magistrate Court of the ANC Regional Secretary Mzwanele “Major” Sokopo the ANC Provincial Secretary Faiz Jacobs issued the following media statement.

The ANC in the Western Cape takes note of the serious allegations of contravening the VAT Act and Tax Administration Act against the ANC’s Southern Cape Secretary, Comrade Major Sokopo, as well as his appearance on various charges in the George Magistrate Court yesterday.

The African National Congress stands firm against criminal activities, regardless of the political affiliation of the perpetrators. In this case, the allegations and charges brought against a regional leader of the ANC in the Western Cape are serious and the organisation will thus be watching the court proceedings closely.

As the ANC we have also taken note of comrade Sokopo's court appearance. We understand that he denies the charges which relate to his private business. We respect the judicial process and comrade Sokopo's right to be presumed innocent at this stage. We will obtain further information and re-assess our position if necessary.