Mahikeng – Driving trainer 52-year-old Caswell Mthombeni this week appeared in the Mahikeng Magistrate’s Court accused of fraud involving more than R21 million.
In October 2015 the accused was appointed by the Department of Community Safety and Transport Management in the North West to help teach driving skills to unemployed matriculants and empower accredited driving schools in various pilot areas.
Mthombeni’s duties also included training learner drivers and developing driving schools.
Allegations are that an amount of over R21-million was paid to the Mthombeni for the commencement of the programme.
Over forty driving schools allegedly signed contracts with the suspect’s company, as beneficiaries of the programme.
It is further alleged that these driving schools used their funds to participate in the programme, in anticipation that the suspect would compensate them.
The suspect allegedly failed to honour his contractual agreement with the driving schools and spent the money on himself.
As a result, the department incurred losses to the tune of over R21-million.
Mthombeni was arrested by the Hawks Serious Corruption Investigation assisted by Priority Crime Specialised Investigation and Tactical Operations Management Section on Monday, 26 June 2023, in Pretoria.
Mthombeni has since appeared in the Mahikeng Magistrate’s Court, where he was granted R50 000 bail.
His matter was postponed to 27 July 2023 pending further investigation.
Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Tinyiko Mathebula said: “The Provincial Head for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Major General Patrick Mbotho, and the Director for Public Prosecutions, Dr. Rachel Makhari commended the collaboration between the investigation team and prosecution leading to the arrest of the suspect”.
