Former Gauteng Human Settlements Acting Head of Department, Margaret-Ann Diedericks has been granted R100 000 bail in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court. The 56-year-old Diedericks faces charges of fraud, money laundering and corruption.
The charges relate to the irregular awarding of the R255-million asbestos contract. Her lawyer told the court that she is not a flight risk as she has surrendered her passport to the police. He also told the court that she will not interfere with state witnesses or evade her trial.
It is alleged that during the period of 2014 and 2017, an irregular contract was awarded to a service provider for the eradication of asbestos roofs by the Free State Department of Human Settlements.
The suspect, who was the Acting HOD of the Department of Human Settlement in Gauteng, also authorised the same service provider irregularly in Gauteng. She then fraudulently received an amount of more than R7-million from the service provider.
Diedericks will join suspended ANC Secretary General Ace Magashule and other accused in the matter.
The case has been postponed to 23 September in the Free State High Court.
