Category: Crime & Corruption News

The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development has warned members of the public about a fraudulent tender contract appointment letter to service providers to supply and install the fence around the Tafelkop Farm in Limpopo.

The fraudulent tender contract appointment letter is for the supply and installation of a 40 kilometre diamond mesh fence around the Tafelkop Farm in Ellias Motsoaledi Local Municipality within the Sekhukhune District Municipality in Limpopo.

In a statement, the department said the appointment letter had the correct department’s name and logo, but with a forged signature purported to belong to Mr L Mahloromela who is an official of the department.

However, the department said the incorrect email address and cellphone number is an attempted scam intended to extort money from the unsuspecting business people.

“According to the fraudulent letter, unsuspecting business people are asked to make an upfront payment of R3000 to secure appointment as a service provider to supply and install the fence. The fraudsters strictly require the money to be deposited into untraceable money market platform after which they disappear with the deposit,” the department said.

The content of the fraudulent letter reads: “The Managing Director, kindly inform the Director to contact me asap regarding the tender no: CONLP 00012 2121 2022. APPOINTMENT OF A CONTRACTOR TO SUPPLY AND INSTALL 40 KM DIAMOND MESH FENCE AROUND THE TAFELKOP FARM IN ELLIAS MOTSOALEDI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY, WITHIN SEKHUKHUNE DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY IN LIMPOPO PROVINCE’’.

According to the department, the bid was advertised on both the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) and it is still in the evaluation stage.

The department appealed to the public to ignore the letters and instead verify any information relating to tenders with the department.

“Members of the public are encouraged to contact the department directly using the correct departmental contact information which can be found on the official departmental website at  www.dalrrd.gov.za,” the department said.

A man has been arrested in Soweto for allegedly stealing a railway track.

He was arrested on Thursday by various law enforcement agencies who conducted search and seizure operations as part of the Okae Molao Operations.

The operation forms part of the Integrated Security Plan that was launched by Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula last year. The intelligence-driven plan is aimed at combatting rail and community crimes and to ensure that criminals are brought to book.

The joint operation includes the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) Protection Service and Armed Response Unit.

During the operation, about 1.3 metres railway track was found inside a shack at Angola Squatter Camp in Nancefield, Soweto.

Prasa said vandalism and theft of rail infrastructure have come at a huge cost to commuters who rely on the rail passenger service.

“Theft and vandalism of rail infrastructure are considered economic sabotage, and PRASA will not tolerate any sabotage of its rail infrastructure,” the agency said.

A 54-year-old suspect is scheduled to make his first court appearance on a charge of theft in the Knysna Magistrates Court today.

Knysna detectives, assisted by the Tsitsikamma K9 Unit, closed in on a residence in Wilderness near George on Thursday. Police arrested a 54-year-old wanted man, who had been on the run since 2012 in connection with the theft of Krugerrands to the estimated value of R7.8million.

The arrest came after members of the police force followed up on a lead.

A warrant of arrest was issued by the Knysna Magistrates Court in connection with the theft that was allegedly perpetrated between May 2011 and March 2012.

Eden Cluster Commander, Brig Phumzile Cetyana, has commended the investigating team and the K9 Unit for their persistence to bring this suspect to book.

“This shows our commitment and demonstrates the lengthy arm of the law that will stop at nothing to bring culprits to account for their deeds,” Cetyana said.

KwaZulu-Natal Social Development MEC, Nonhlanhla Khoza, has warned job seekers about scammers posing as government officials and selling jobs to unsuspecting members of the public.

In a statement, the department warned there is a group of people calling desperate and unsuspecting job seekers and promising them jobs in the department in exchange for R9 000.

The scammers are said to be targeting residents in the areas of Southern Cluster, including Ugu, Harry Gwala and Umgungudlovu Districts.

“Their modus operandi include contacting individuals and parents of job seekers and enticing them to pay in order to secure jobs for their children,” the department said.

Khoza has urged people to be very careful of the criminals promising them jobs, emphasising that government jobs are not for sale.

“We would not ask people seeking employment to pay for any job in the department. In the department, we follow a fair and transparent recruitment process where jobs are advertised in newspapers and other public platforms. People are then urged to apply for jobs and go through the process of interviews,” Khoza said.

She reiterated that no fee needs to be paid in order to secure any permanent employment within government.

“We are very concerned that these [scammers] mislead desperate people to pay money via instant money transfer at stores to a cellphone number, cash-send and eWallet for them to get jobs,” Khoza said.

The MEC called on all victims of the scam to immediately open criminal cases with the police, while the department also looks at ways to deal with this matter.

“We are going to work closely with the SAPS in order to ensure that we furnish investigators with all information they need to trace these criminals because they are fleecing desperate people, denting the image of the department.

“We urge all those who have been scammed to give all information to the law enforcement agencies so that the criminals can be arrested,” Khoza said.

She further urged communities to be wary of individuals who ask them to pay for jobs.

“The department advertises in newspapers, including its website, when there are jobs available. At no stage will government officials ask individuals seeking employment to pay.

“We encourage people to follow all proper channels when we advertise jobs to apply through these reliable media,” she said.

Khoza said the department has been furnished with detailed phone recordings where one of the scammers pursued a job seeker to deposit money immediately, in order to secure a job with the department.

Government says it is concerned about the escalating tensions in the Gulf region after a deadly drone attack by Yemen’s Houthi militia on Monday in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates’ capital.

According to reports, three people were killed when the strikes hit fuel trucks near the Abu Dhabi International Airport, while six were injured and caused a fire near the airport.

The incident follows the hijacking of the UAE-flagged Rwabee cargo ship and its crew on 3 January 2021 by Houthi militia.

International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Dr Naledi Pandor, has since expressed her concerns that such attacks only serve to destabilise regional security, including that of the UEA.

“Of particular concern is the fact that the attacks are targeting industrial and civilian areas. Furthermore, these continued attacks have the potential to derail the United Nations’ mediation efforts in Yemen,” she said on Tuesday.

The Minister believes that these attacks that resulted in several casualties and injuries could have a severe impact on the goal of peace in Yemen and the broader Middle East region.

“South Africa continues to maintain that an UN-mediated and Yemeni-led peace process is the only means to realising lasting peace and regional stability.”

She has since urged all parties to exhibit restraint in pursuit of the mediation process.

The Minister also assured the government and the people of the UAE that South Africa supported them.

Police are investigating after an Eskom contracted security officer was shot dead after him and six of his colleagues foiled a copper cable theft attempt at Eskom’s Customer Network Centre in Klipspruit, Soweto on Tuesday.

According to an Eskom statement, the seven security guards were driving out of the centre to return to their post at Mapetla substation when they were shot at by at least 30 “heavily armed suspects” during the early hours of Tuesday morning.

“It is alleged that the suspects were attempting to steal the City Power copper cable when the team of seven security officers drove towards them. Other security officers managed to escape unharmed,” the statement read.

Eskom’s Safety, Health, Environment, Risk, and Quality manager in Gauteng, Kith Maitisa, said the incident warrants deep concern about the safety of its workers.

“Eskom sympathises with the family of the deceased security officer and is deeply concerned about such criminal acts that cost the life of a breadwinner.

“Our role is to provide safe and reliable electricity to customers, however, such acts have a negative impact on us achieving this obligation. We will not compromise the safety of our employees should their safety be at risk,” Maitisa said.

The state power utility said it continues to experience high volumes of theft of infrastructure “beyond what Eskom can handle” despite putting measures to mitigate theft.

“The unfortunate incident took place during a campaign which Eskom has embarked on to create awareness on the impact of electricity infrastructure vandalism and theft on the security of supply. The power utility condemns these acts of criminality and requests members of the public to provide information that can lead to the arrest and successful prosecution of those involved,” the power utility said.

Members of the public are encouraged to send any information to Eskom’s crime line on 0800 11 27 22 or to contact the police.

An OR Tambo District Municipality service provider has been sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment for theft and money laundering amounting to R4.5 million.

The sentence was on Monday handed to Thumeka Qongqo, 44, the Director of Ogiyonke Construction Company, by the Mthatha High Court.

Thumeka was convicted on 20 May 2021, following a marathon trial. This was after it emerged that she defrauded the OR Tambo District Municipality of approximately R 4.5 million through two payments authorised by her sister, Nyameka Qongqo for services that were never rendered in 2014.

Captain Lloyd Ramovha said the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation unit started on the case in September 2014, resulting in her being charged on 15 August 2015, along with her sister, who was the municipal project accountant.

“The investigation revealed that from November 2012 to 2014, Nyameka Qongqo authorised claims and transferred funds to service providers’ bank accounts which included Zingce Enterprise owned by her boyfriend, Thobani Notshokovu and Ogiyonke Construction Company.

“During the trial that lasted about 15 days, Thumeka elected to plead innocent and was consequently convicted. Nyameka on the other hand entered into a plea bargain with the state and received a 15-year effective jail term. Notshokovu turned state witness and was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment with an option of a R50 000 fine,” said Ramovha.

The high court sitting in Mthatha ordered that Qongqo undergo 10 years’ direct imprisonment, of which half was suspended for five years on condition that she is not convicted of similar charges during the period of suspension which closes the chapter on this case.

The fraud, money laundering, corruption and breach of financing laws case against former member of Parliament Vincent Smith has been postponed to April in the Palm Ridge Specialised Crime Court.

During an appearance in the court on Tuesday, the state handed over an additional docket to Smith’s legal representatives after charges of tax fraud were added to the charge sheet.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Investigating Directorate spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka explained the addition of the new charges.

“The tax fraud charge stem from Smith’s and [his company] Euroblitz’s failure to disclose taxable income from 9 March 2009 and 11 July 2018, totaling R28 million.

“The Investigating Directorate was able to enrol the further tax charges through the help of the South African Revenue Services,” she said.

Smith stands accused of accepting gratifications from BOSASA in the form of security upgrades to his home and accepting money transfers – through his company Euroblitz – in exchange for shielding the company from scrutiny while he was chairperson of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services.

“He further faces corruption charges by accepting further gratifications from [companies] Waterfall Golf Estate and Clidet 69. The accused also faces charges of accepting cash transferred into his bank account and his company from BOSASA and other people unknown to the state.

“Additional charges include failure to disclose to Parliament’s Register of Members’ Interest the gratifications, cash deposits and money that was paid to him by Waterfall Golf Estate and Clidet,” Seboka said.

Smith is expected to appear in court on 6 April.

Former Eskom senior manager for Coal Operations, Petrus Mazibuko, has lost his leave to appeal application to have a R11.5 million forfeiture order against him set aside by the Special Tribunal.

This after it was found that Mazibuko unlawfully benefitted from an Eskom coal transporting contract awarded to a company linked to his company and that of his brother.

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) was subsequently granted an order to seize at least R11.5 million held in accounts belonging to the two.

According to Tribunal spokesperson, Advocate Selby Makgotho, Mazibuko, his brother Shadrack and their companies sought to appeal the forfeiture order on several grounds at a higher court.

“Mazibuko, his brother Shadrack, and Thephunokheja Projects (Pty) Ltd…contend that in granting the final relief, the Special Tribunal erred in its assessment of the facts and application of the law.

“They alleged that the Special Tribunal exercised its discretion on incorrect facts,” Makgotho said.

According to Makgotho, the tribunal dismissed the application with costs as their case had “no merit”.

“Judge Thina Siwendu found that there were no prospects of success and that there were no compelling reasons why the matter must be heard by a Full Court as Mazibuko had prayed for. Judge Siwendu found no merit in the complaint and that the orders were competent in the context of civil forfeiture orders before the Special Tribunal,” he said.

A Department of Correctional Services official has been arrested together with another person after attempting to smuggle a large consignment of contraband into the Durban Correctional Centre.

According to the department, the two were caught separately during the early hours of Saturday morning.

“When a motor-vehicle with two occupants was stopped by the patrolling officials at about 01h18 on [Saturday] at the Durban Correctional Centre Premises, one person opted to flee evading the officials who were closing in.

“The driver of the vehicle; a private citizen; was eventually apprehended. He disclosed the identity of his associate as a Department of Correctional Services official,” the department said.

On inspection, the following contraband was found in the vehicle:

• A cellphone and charger
• There parcels of dagga
• 924 white and blue capsules of the drug whoonga
• 50 white round tablets.

The official was caught hours later – hiding at the facility.

“At around 07h50, DCS day shift officials were alerted to screams for help inside the storm water drainage at the centre. Upon inspection, the Emergency Support Team of DCS and SAPS, found a correctional services official trapped inside the storm water drainage which he had used as a hideout spot.

“The official was arrested and a consignment containing mandrax capsules, mobile phones with earphones, cellphone chargers, 34 sim cards, 669 woonga stopes, 1.180kg dagga and other illegal items was also discovered,” the department said.

The department warned that officials caught attempting to smuggle contraband into correctional facilities will “never be spared any mercy”.

“DCS is leaving nothing to chance as its commitment towards contraband free centres is in full swing. It is a 360-degree focussed intervention as attention is given to every inmate, official, service providers, visitors and residences within our premises.

“Safe and secure correctional centres are possible to achieve, and we expect nothing but strict adherence to safety standards from all those who interface with DCS. Hence, visitors, inmates, officials and private citizens caught contravening our regulations shall be dealt with through the criminal justice system,” the department said.