Two businessmen appear in Bloemfontein Magistrates’ court for tax fraud

Two businessmen have appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s court after they were charged with tax fraud relating to Asbestos and Personal Protective Equipment contracts. Lindikhaya Mpambani and Tebang Motaung appeared before the court separately.

They were charged together with their companies, Diamond Hill and Newtongate. Free State NPA spokesperson Phaladi Shuping says the state alleges that Mpambani submitted tax returns on behalf of Diamond Hill in February 2017 in which he misrepresented trading activities of the company.

Phaladi says Motaung and Newtongate were charged after the state alleged that they acted unlawfully, with intent to defraud SARS.

“Based on the fact that he submitted nil returns he appears as if he did not do any business during that period. With regard to Motaung and Newtongate, the state alleges that between May 2020 and March 2021 they got three contracts for PPE. And the value of those contracts is R6. 4 million and he was supposed to pay tax to the value of R757 000 but he submitted nil returns as if the company did not trade during that period,” says Shuping.