A 55 year old woman, Nontombi Ndala made her second appearance on 11 April 2019 at the Mkobola Magistrate Court, Kwaggafontein for fraud. Ndala’s appearance comes after her arrest on 20 March 2019, for defrauding a total of 121 victims of an amount estimated to be more than R200 000 between January and December 2018.
It is reported that one of the complainant, a 49 year old man had gone to Kwaggafontein where Ndala’s office was situated, after receiving information that people were registering for surplus money.
On arrival, he met a certain man working with Ndala who told him that they are working for different companies and Ndala claimed she was an agent for a company based in Johannesburg. The complainant reportedly gave them an amount of R1 800 and his Identity Document. After a few minutes, Ndala came back with the ID on which was attached a sticker written R155 000. She warned him not to remove that sticker as that was the amount he was going to get in 18 months’ time. She further stated that in order to receive the money, he should come with a copy of his ID, proof of residence, three months’ bank statement as well as an additional amount of R1 500 for administration.
On the very same day, he went to withdraw money and submitted it with the documents needed by the suspect whom in return gave him a paper claiming to be his contract from the company.
In January 2018, he went back to that office to ask why he has not been contacted. The suspect reportedly told him that they are still processing the money, he must be patient and that is when he became suspicious. During March 2019, he went to Johannesburg without informing the suspect and managed to meet a Lawyer (owner of the company) who confirmed that the suspect was indeed working for the company but was dismissed some time in 2017.
Ndala was then arrested and made her first appearance on 08 April 2019, where he was remanded in custody pending bail application, hence her appearance today. She was granted bail of R10 000 and will be again at the same court on 18 May 2019.
The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Mpumalanga Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma cautioned members of the community to be cautious at all times and to research thoroughly before investing money on any scheme in the wake of prevalent scammers and fraudsters.
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