MAKHADO — Limpopo councillor Netshivhumbe Gumani has been taken back into police custody on outstanding fraud-related charges, mere days after his release on bail for allegedly attempting to bribe a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) official. The Thulamela Municipality representative is now navigating a complex legal battle involving both corruption and financial misconduct.
Following his initial release on R10,000 bail from the Molopo Magistrate’s Court in Mahikeng on Monday, Gumani was swiftly apprehended by Makhado law enforcement. This secondary arrest stems from an outstanding warrant accusing him of theft by false pretence. According to the anti-corruption body, the new allegations reveal that the local politician solicited monetary contributions from various regional business owners. These funds were purportedly gathered to bankroll political operations tied to a 2014 youth league conference hosted in the Sekhukhune District.
The initial legal jeopardy for the councillor began when he was accused of offering a R70,000 bribe to a senior SIU investigator. The alleged payoff was intended to obstruct justice and derail an active probe into municipal tenders at the Mahikeng Local Municipality. Investigators assert that Gumani was acting as an intermediary for Anacot Trading, an enterprise entangled in dubious financial transactions regarding government contracts.
The underlying SIU investigation uncovered a massive financial trail involving municipal leases. A designated service provider was paid approximately R179 million by the Mahikeng Municipality for two separate lease agreements. Almost immediately after the public funds were deposited, the service provider funneled R28 million into the accounts of Anacot Trading, a firm controlled by Shahzaad Mohamed Hussein. When the SIU summoned Hussein to account for the R28 million windfall, he reportedly dispatched Gumani to manipulate the investigative process.
Despite the legal maneuvers, the anti-corruption unit remains steadfast. Leonard Lekgetho, the Acting Head of the SIU, confirmed that the agency retains full confidence in the strength of the evidence against the councillor. Lekgetho characterized the alleged bribery as a direct and severe assault on the South African justice system and the national fight against graft.
“No amount of intimidation or inducement will deter the SIU from fulfilling its mandate,” Lekgetho stated, praising the targeted investigator for maintaining strict professionalism under pressure. He further pledged that the agency will continue collaborating with law enforcement partners to ensure the case is prosecuted to its final conclusion.
Gumani is currently in custody and is scheduled to make his next court appearance on 18 September 2026 to answer to the compounded charges.
