An alleged ghost worker and two former senior officials of the Dihlabeng Local Municipality in Bethlehem were released on bail of R5 000 each by the Bethlehem Magistrate’s Court on Friday (17/03) following their arrest in a case involving fraud, theft and the contravention of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
The three people implicated are Nkosi Patrice Mondi (54), former director of local economic development (LED); Seipati Mavis Mabula (50), former director of corporate services; and Rerang Nchabane (34), an alleged ghost employee.
They were arrested on Thursday by the Free State Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team.
Their arrest stems from events that took place between January 2020 and December 2021.
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.”
As a result of these fraudulent activities, the municipality suffered a total loss of more than R290 000.
The matter was reported to the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team based in Bethlehem.
The suspects will appear in court again on 17 April.
