Mayor of the Nkangala District Municipality in Mpumalanga, Thembi Sarah, has been arrested by South Africa’s elite crime busters – the Hawks – for stealing money.
The 67-year-old mayor and eight others appeared in the Middelburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
The suspects include Gigimani Swartboy Sindane (59), Tebogo Nkamide Matiwane (50), Thembi Ndlovu (50), Given Sipho Jele (33), Simon Prince Musiza (33), Vincent Jabu Sibiya (39), Elvis Sifiso Ntuli (36), and Thabo Wiseman Ntuli.
Sindane is the Secretary of the Ndzundaza Mabhoko Traditional council, Matiwane is the general manager of Social Development within Nkangala District Municipality, and Ndlovu is the municipal coordinator for social services.
Companies Somziloyi business Enterprise, Zenzazona PTY LTD, Megaworks Trading Enterprise, Ngibongaimpilo PTY LTD, and Ngezabanqobi Supply Trading and Enterprises are also suspects in the pilfering case.
All the accused were charged with theft, forgery, and contravening the Public Finance Management Act.
It is alleged that Masilela colluded with the other suspects in September 2019 to process payments for services that were never rendered.
The state alleges the theft was carried out using fraudulent documents.
As a result the municipality lost about R215 730.
The accused were granted R10 000 bail each and their court case was postponed to 10 September 2021.
