Nkangala District Municipality executive mayor, Thembi Sarah Masilela, and eight others were on Monday each released on R10 000 bail by the Middelburg Magistrate’s Court for allegedly defrauding the council of R215 000.

In a statement, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) said the group in September 2019 colluded to ensure that fraudulent documents were processed for payments for services, which were never rendered.  As a result of this, the municipality lost in access of approximately R215 730.

The accomplices were all charged for theft, forgery and Contravening the Public Finance Management Act (PMFA).

Hawks spokesperson Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi said the accused were granted R10 000 bail each and the case was postponed to 10 September 2021 for the matter to be transfered to the Serious Commercial Crime Court.

Source: South African Government News Agency