News24 reports that the trial of Eastern Cape Department of Health (DOH) spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo, who is accused of using a fraudulent matric certificate to get a government job in 2002, has been postponed until March next year.
On Tuesday, the seasoned spin doctor briefly appeared before the East London Magistrate's Court for the start of his trial, but Magistrate Sadia Jacobs postponed the matter due to "state logistics". Kupelo is facing two counts of fraud, two counts of uttering and one count of forgery. He was arrested by the Hawks in April. It is the state's case that Kupelo applied for a communication officer post in the office of the premier in March 2002 and was appointed a month later. In November 2002, Kupelo was appointed as a deputy director of communications for the DOH in in Bhisho. According to Hawks Eastern Cape spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana, it was established in 2020, when the DOH conducted a skills audit on employees, that Kupelo had never held a matric certificate. "He instead allegedly submitted a fraudulent certificate during his employment," Mhlakuvana alleged. Kupelo is out on R30,000 bail. Jacobs postponed the trial until 18 to 20 March 2025.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sithandiwe Velaphi at News24 (trial registration required)
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