Jacky Tshabalala (46), Letitia Mafuta (45) and Anna Mngange (50) were on Friday, 30 April 2021 sentenced to a total of 31 years imprisonment by the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crime Court for stealing R3.5 million meant for workers Christmas savings Scheme.
The trio connived and stole the funds during 2016 to 2018 following the merger of Westonaria and Randfontein municipalities which became known as Rand West City Local Municipality. Having a direct access to the municipality coffers enabled Tshabalala who was a payroll administrator at the time to pilfer from the fund known as Abasebenzi Christmas Saving Scheme.
The Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation also proved Mafuta and Mngange both signatories to the account to have been willing accomplices. They both assisted in the laundering of the stolen funds into various other bank accounts where they all helped themselves to the loot.
The Hawks arrested them on 5 September 2019.
Following a solid investigation, the court has convicted the trio on 16 counts of fraud and theft. Tshabalala has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment whereas Mafuta and Mngange each received eight years imprisonment. The sentences have been ordered to run concurrently which means they will each serve half of it in prison whilst the rest is suspended for five years.
The Gauteng Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Major General Ibrahim Kadwa has lauded both the Investigators and the Prosecutorial teams for a job well done.
“We will continue to fight the scourge of fraud and corruption without fear or favour irrespective of whether it is in the public or private sector”. He said.
