Two former senior officials of the Dihlabeng Local Municipality in Bethlehem and an alleged ghost worker have been granted bail of R5 000 each. They are Seipati Mavis Mabula (50), director of corporate services; Nkosi Patrice Mondi (54), director of local economic development (LED); and the alleged ghost worker Rerang Nchabane (34).
The trio briefly appeared in the Bethlehem Magistrate’s Court on Friday (17/03), facing charges of fraud, theft, and contravening the Prevention of Organised Crime Act. This followed their arrest by the Free State Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team after the elite crime fighting unit’s investigation into the matter.
Capt. Christopher Singo, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said the alleged fraud took place between January 2020 and December 2021. He said the investigation pointed to Nchabane as being a ghost employee, earning R12 000 a month as a contracted worker without ever reporting for duty.
Singo said the irregularity had been discovered during an internal audit process undertaken by the municipality.
“It is alleged that the former director of the LED unit, who was the supervisor of the ghost employee at the time, allegedly instructed his subordinate to create an attendance register for the ghost employee. The suspect was called in to sign attendance registers for the duration of ‘his employment within the municipality’.
“It is further alleged that the director of corporate services, who was an acting municipal manager at that time, was present when the LED director instructed his subordinate to create the attendance register. She also signed the contract of the ghost employee.”
According to Singo, as a result of the fraudulent activities the municipality’s operations were compromised and it suffered losses of more than R290 000.
The case has been postponed to 17 April for further investigation.
