Almost 20 years after the Northern Cape Department of Health was defrauded, one of the accused has been sentenced.
Gaston Savoi, 71, pleaded guilty in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Thursday to four counts of fraud and six counts of corruption.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in a joint statement with the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (known as the Hawks) said the fraud was committed in the Northern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal between the period of 2004 and 2007.
The Hawks said the charges relate to the provision of water purification units (Watakas) and self-generating oxygen units (Oxyntakas) which were provided by Intaka Holdings (a company owned by Savoi) at inflated prices to the Department of Health in Northern Cape and the Department of Local Government, Housing and Traditional Affairs in KZN.
This cost the government over R100 million.
