Fraudulent student housing scheme costs former UJ director R18.18 million.
The University of Johannesburg’s former Senior Director of Student Affairs, Andries Helani, has been ordered to pay the university over R18.18 million after the Labour Court found that he breached his employment contract by helping non-compliant private student accommodation providers secure accreditation.
Labour Court Judge Reynaud Neil Daniels found that Helani accepted bribes and made fraudulent misrepresentations to assist Mahlatse Investments in obtaining accreditation for two properties in Braamfontein.
The university had sued Helani for contractual damages seeking over R18.18 million for money paid to accommodation providers whose properties should not have been accredited.
The court ultimately ordered Helani to pay the full amount, together with the university’s legal costs, including the costs of his unsuccessful applications to amend his pleadings and postpone the trial.
