Western Cape: South African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (SACTWU) Worker Health Programme (SWHP) former CEO Colleen Khumalo (51) has appeared in the Cape Town Regional Court on charges of fraud involving R50-million.

Khumalo’s arrest and subsequent appearance on Thursday follow the 2018 Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime investigations on allegations misappropriating funds donated from the United States of America.

The funds were meant to be redistributed to deserving Non-Profit Organisations (NPO) to fight the spread of transmissible diseases by providing health care services to key groups and individuals.

The initial investigations connected Zimbabwe-born US citizen, virologist and South African branch chief at the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr Alfred Bere, to the mismanagement of donor funding for SACTWU’s Worker Health Programme.

Bere was arrested at the Beitbridge border post whilst on his way to neighbouring Zimbabwe on 24 August 2018 after a warrant of arrest issued against him. He was transported to Cape Town after his brief appearance at Musina Magistrate Court.

Bere was kept in custody until he was granted R100 000 bail on 12 September 2018 by the Cape Town Regional Court with stringent conditions by the same court.

Khumalo is alleged to have submitted fraudulent invoices exceeding R50 million from different companies and NPO and the amount is subject to increase.

This was done in common cause along with several other business entities or persons during the period between 2016 and 2018.

The duo appeared together and their case was postponed to 29 April 2019, for further investigation. Khumalo was released on R20 000 bail whilst Bere’s is still out on R100 000 bail.

Source: South African Police Service