A former employee of Makana municipality appeared briefly in the Grahamstown Regional Court this week on charges of corruption after she allegedly requested a bribe from a person who wanted to purchase land in Makana two years ago.
A former employee of Makana municipality appeared briefly in the Grahamstown Regional Court this week on charges of corruption after she allegedly requested a bribe from a person who wanted to purchase land in Makana two years ago.
Former manager in the Town Planning and Estates directorate, Zukiswa Pearl Mkuzo, was scheduled to appear in the Grahamstown Regional Court, where her trial was set to resume on Wednesday, but this did not happen due to another case taking preference over it. Mkuzo, accused of extorting money from a citizen who wanted to purchase land in Makana, pleaded not guilty to corruption charges when she appeared in court in August.
She has not yet been called to testify in the case.
The first state witness to take the stand, Mark Pote told the court that he first came into contact with Mkuzo about two months after he had submitted building plans to the municipality.
Pote told the court that Mkuzo asked him to lend her R20 000 in return for expediting his plans and making sure they were approved.
Mkuzo has subsequently turned the tables on her accuser, claiming that her signature might have been forged in the paper work in Pote's possession.
The case, opened 9 November 2012, was postponed to 22 January 2015 for further evidence.
