Dr Raymond Patel, former CEO of two Setas, arrested over University of Fort Hare fraud

Dr Raymond Andrew Patel, former CEO of two Sector Education and Training Authorities (Setas) in South Africa, a prominent figure in tertiary education, well-known speaker and expert in skills development, appeared in the Dikeni Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 4 November 2024, after he was arrested for alleged fraud and corruption.

Patel also served on the board of the South African education quality watchdog, Umalusi. He was released on bail of R50,000.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said Patel is alleged to have been awarded a R3.6-million tender at the university and paid R1.6-million in kickbacks to university employees.

Read more: Criminal enterprise at Fort Hare created an atmosphere of terror for kickbacks

Fort Hare spokesperson JP Roodt said Patel is “deeply entrenched in higher education circles”.

“Dr Patel was a former employee of the Department of Education, a former council chair for a university and a TVET college. Patel is currently the CEO of Torapa Holdings,” Roodt said.

He said the university welcomed the ongoing investigations and arrests of individuals standing accused of serious crimes of fraud and corruption.

Patel will appear again with his co-accused on 31 March.

Tyali said Patel was arrested on Saturday.

“Patel is yet another service provider added to the list of University of Fort Hare employees, service providers and their entities charged with fraud and corruption.

Read more: University of Fort Hare VC’s roller-coaster ride for justice in face of murder and criminal syndicates

The other accused in the case are:

• Isaac Plaatjies: The former head of investigations and vetting at the university;


• Ansa Smith: Plaatjies’ former assistant


• Paul Tladi: The university’s director of human resources was allegedly key to authorising disbursements from the university.


• Lucrecia Davids: Paul Tladi’s wife.


• Mbulelo Gingcana: An official in the university’s supply chain management department.


• Louis Nkateko Mawila: The university’s former financial manager.


• Nozuko Mabombo: Buhlungu’s office manager. She is also cited in the other Fort Hare case as a victim of an attempted murder.


• Sarah Pearl Burger: Cape Town attorney and director of Horizon Forensics.


• Wayne Gosain van der Haar: He was from the University’s IT department.


• Thamsanqa Sonjica: From Fort Hare’s Protection Services.


• Terrence Joubert: The sole director of a company, Tarlec, who allegedly received kickback payments from Plaatjies.


• Bradley Conradie: Cape Town lawyer and partner in Horizon Forensics.


• Craig Retief: Awarded a tender for cyber forensic investigations.


• Anwar Khan: Owner and director of the Pentagon Group and former bodyguard to murdered rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes.


• Nthabiseng Makhoba: A director at EL Reigns company.

Tyali said the State would allege that the total amount of funds paid by the University of Fort Hare to the implicated service providers was more than R172-million, with the bulk of it allegedly finding its way to the pockets of the accused university employees. DM