The likelihood that the marathon trial of Portia “Pankie” Sizani will get started again in 2021 dwindled when the case was postponed on Monday in Gqeberha.
Sizani was convicted of defrauding the provincial education department of R1.2m after she created “ghost” teachers as beneficiaries.
After her conviction on 15 counts of fraud, Sizani’s legal team successfully appealed to have her conviction set aside in a higher court.
Judges Murray Lowe and Motilal Rugunanan agreed that magistrate Mputumi Mpofu of the Gqeberha Commercial Crimes Court had misdirected himself when he forced the defence to close its case before they were ready to do so.
During a brief court appearance on Monday, Sizani’s legal team said they intended to make certain legal representations to the national director of public prosecutions.
When the case resumes on December 3, it will be back in the Commercial Crimes Court.
Until then, Sizani is out on warning.
