Frank le Roux, 55, and Albert Brown, 53, both of Mannenberg on the Cape Flats, appeared on Monday in the Specialised Commercial Crime Court in Bellville, before magistrate Sabrina Sonnenberg.
According to the charge sheet, the IDT, in the Cape Town CBD, was appointed by the national Department of Public Works as the implementing agent for Phase 2 of the Expanded Public Works Programmes.
The purpose of the programmes was to alleviate poverty through the creation of employment opportunities, via the appointment of Non Profit Organisations.
At the time of their application to the IDT for funding, Le Roux and Brown were the main members of the board of the non-profit organisation, Zion Pulse Community Projects (ZPCP).
A contract with the IDT was concluded in July, 2010, for a period of 10 months, on the understanding that ZPCP operated from a crèche that they owned, on the premises of Zion Life Ministries.
The prosecutor, senior State advocate Simone Liedeman alleges that, in order to obtain the funding, ZPCP furnished the IDT with false financial statements, supposedly drawn up by accountant Henry Horodsky.
It is alleged that the financial statements were forged, and not drawn up by Horodsky.
Based on the false information, the IDT granted ZPCP R2,162 500 for the creation of 300 work opportunities.
In addition to the grant, the IDT would pay ZPCP R50 per day, per work opportunity created.
The State alleges that Le Roux and Brown fraudulently stole R570 700 of the grant, for their own benefit.
It is alleged that, at the time of their application for the grant, Le Roux and Brown were aware that the money would be used for their own benefit, and not for the creation of employment opportunities.
The matter was postponed to April 11.
Source: African News Agency (ANA)
