The fraud and corruption charges against a former employee of the SA Bureau of Standards (SABS), and two co-accused were provisionally withdrawn in the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday.

"The State has not finalised (its) investigations. The State provisionally withdraws the charges," prosecutor Ilse Grobler said.

SABS employee Simphiwe Fikizolo (36), production manager at Latex Surgical Product (Pty) Ltd Sajeed Joseph and Jeffrey Hurwitz, a managing director at the same company, appeared briefly in the dock.

The three faced charges of fraud and corruption following allegations that Latex, one of seven private companies awarded a tender to provide free condoms in the country, bribed an official to approve condoms that did not conform to the required standard.

Fikizolo was arrested on 22 August last year, whilst his co-accused were arrested a day later.

In their last appearance in February, it was requested that the matter be remanded for the last time.

Outside the court room, Grobler said the State needed more time to finalise investigations and that charges could be brought against the three at a later stage.

Sapa