The two former employees of the Department of Labour’s (DoL) Compensation Fund (CF) alleged to have defrauded the department were today (February 4) chided for their failure to show up in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court last month.

Maxwell Ramaphosa and Samuel Mfeleng – both from Soshanguve in Pretoria are alleged to have defrauded the Department of Labour’s Compensation Fund of R2,1 million. The duo faces 15 counts of fraud and 26 counts of money laundering. The accused were served with a warrant of arrest which has since been “withdrawn”.

Ramaphosa’s attorney presented a medical certificate in Court that his client was ill on January 16 when he was supposed to appear. His fellow accused was said to have had a mix-up in regard to the dates of his appearance in Court.

Magistrate Fikile Ntlati said she was not happy with the explanation (s) furnished. Ntlati said she found it strange that Ramaphosa’s medical certificate was issued out in another province. She further said that she found it suspicious that on the day the accused were supposed to appear in Court both were contacted several times and did not answer their phones.

“I will accept your explanation for now,” she said.

Ramaphosa and Mfeleng are also entangled in two other separate fraud cases that are before the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court for allegedly defrauding the Department of Labour. The two former civil servants have pleaded not guilty and their matter was postponed to April 3 for further hearing. Their bail of R3 000 was extended.

Ramaphosa and Mfeleng were arrested in 2009 together with self-confessed fraud physio Jurry Bonewamang Sehunoe. They are alleged to have been part of a syndicate working in collaboration with convicted fraud physio Sehunoe, from Rustenburg in North West to siphon the department’s Compensation Fund.

The Compensation Fund is a public entity of the Department of Labour. The fund provides cushion for workers injured during work or diseases sustained thereof.