Rustenburg – Fraud-accused former Chief Financial Officer of Bojanala District Municipality 45-year-old Leslina Olga Ndlovu, three others, and a service provider have appeared in the Rustenburg Magistrate’s Court, in the North West.
The other accused in the more than R25 million fraud matter are 53-year-old Patrick Pogisho Shikwane, Bojanala District Municipality Chief Whip 53-year-old Patrick Tlhapi, secretary to the former municipal manager 39-year-old Gontse Kekana, and service provider 38-year-old Mantsho Gloria Moremi.
All the accused appeared in court on Tuesday, (18 March 2025), facing several charges including fraud, money laundering, corruption, and contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act 56 of 2003.
The accused were arrested by the Hawks on Monday, (17 March 2025).
“Their arrest follows an investigation by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation into allegations of defrauding the Bojanala Platinum District Municipality of over R25 million between December 2018 and May 2019,” said North West Hawks Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Tinyiko Mathebula.
Allegations are that in 2018, Ndlovu colluded with a service provider, who is still at large, to have her company, which was not on the database of the municipality’s service providers, claim payments for services rendered to the municipality.
The CFO and the service provider allegedly used the details of a registered service provider to claim payments.
However, the payments were allegedly paid into a bank account that was not on the municipality’s database.
Lieutenant Colonel Mathebula said the investigation revealed that R2 million was transferred from the service provider’s bank account into the bank account of the CFO’s company.
“It was further established that R150 000 was transferred from the service provider’s bank account into the personal bank account of the Chief Whip,” said Lieutenant Colonel Mathebula.
“The secretary to the former municipal manager reportedly benefitted R850 000 from the funds.’
Shikwane faces 53 counts of fraud, 53 counts of money laundering, and one count of contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act.
Ndlovu faces 53 counts of fraud, 53 counts of money laundering, and five counts of corruption.
Tlhapi faces one count of corruption, while Kekana faces two counts of corruption; and Moremi faces one count of money laundering.
All the accused were remanded in custody when the matter was been adjourned to Thursday, (20 March 2025), for a formal bail application.
“The arrest of two other service providers is imminent,” said Lieutenant Colonel Mathebula, adding that the rest of the details regarding the R25 million fraud would be made public once these arrests were made.
“The acting North West Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Brigadier Silas Munzhedzi, and the Director of Public Prosecutions in North West, Dr. Rachel Makhari, have applauded collaborative work between the Hawks and NPA in ensuring that the accused are brought to book.”
