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A 62-year-old Eastern Cape school principal has been summoned to court by the Hawks on allegations of fraud and perjury linked to a Road Accident Fund (RAF) claim worth about R2.9 million.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) confirmed that the summons was served on Thursday by the Mthatha-based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit. The suspect is expected to appear before the Mthatha Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on 25 March.
In a statement released on Friday, the Hawks said the principal faces charges linked to allegedly contradictory claims submitted after a motor vehicle accident in 2017.
ALSO READ: UFS study: Sanitary pads are safe and won’t be withdrawn from shelves, says Motsoaledi
The government, scientists and researchers have allayed fears over endocrine-disrupting chemicals in sanitary pads, saying there was no evidence from research conducted over more than a century to suggest they caused any harm to humans.
At a high-level joint press conference on Sunday, spearheaded by Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, who was joined by other agencies such as the World Health Organisation, the message from representatives was that production of the pads would continue and they would not be withdrawn from shelves.
The issue came into the spotlight after a University of the Free State (UFS) study found the presence of EDCs in several brands of pads and pantyliners that were sold in the country. That prompted an investigation by the National Consumer Commission.
ALSO READ: Letsike urges tourism sector to turn women’s inclusion into economic power
Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Mmapaseka Steve Letsike used a tourism dialogue marking International Women’s Day to call for stronger policies, investment and structural support to expand women’s economic opportunities in South Africa’s tourism sector.
Speaking at the Women in Tourism Dialogue on Saturday, ahead of International Women’s Day on Sunday, Letsike said the conversation should not focus only on celebrating progress, but also on widening women’s participation and ownership in the economy.
The event was held under the banner of women in tourism.
Letsike said women make up more than half of the global tourism workforce, citing research by UN Tourism and UN Women. UN Tourism says women account for 54% of tourism employment worldwide, a higher share than in the broader economy, but are still concentrated in lower-skilled, lower-paid and often informal work.
