The corruption case at the Free State’s Nketoane Local Municipality has seen two companies and four individuals, including a former top official, slapped with hefty sentences. Two individuals were each ordered to repay the municipality R200 000, while their companies received a suspended fine of R200 000 each.
The Bethlehem Regional Court sentenced the six accused on 28 September after finding them guilty of colluding to defraud the municipality through a skills development workshop and the installation of electricity meters. They were charged with corruption, fraud, and money laundering.
Their sentencing, based on compelling evidence presented in court, was the culmination of in-depth probing by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team based in Bloemfontein.
The convicted individuals are Ntsoaki Mirriam Molapo (43), Mandla Bonifas Mamba (51), Mandla Mrwebi (58), and Vincent Mkhefa (48), who was tasked with multiple responsibilities during his tenure as an official. The two companies sentenced to a fine of R200 000 are Kabelo Laundry Services (KLS), owned by Molapo, and Mamatse Trading Close Corporation (MTCC), co-owned by Mrwebi and Mamba.
WO Fikiswa Matoti, provincial spokesperson of the Hawks, said the offences were committed between March 2010 and June 2011 in the municipality in the Thabo Mofutsanyana district municipality. She said the municipality was defrauded of R2 million through improper procurement procedures.
“No services were rendered by the service providers,” said Matoti.
Matoti said Mkhefa, who held influential positions such as municipal manager, chief financial officer (CFO), and head of technical services during the period in question, illegally appointed the two companies. She said Molapo’s company was appointed for a skills development workshop while Mrwebi’s was for the installation of electricity meters. “Fraudulent delivery notes were submitted whilst electricity meters were still at the manufacturer,” said Matoti.
Vincent Mkhefa
Ntsoaki Mirriam Molapo
Mandla Bonifas Mamba
She said Mkhefa was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment, suspended for five years. Matoti said the latest sentence will runs concurrently with the eight years’ imprisonment imposed by the court on 7 December 2021. She said Mkhefa was already serving time in prison after being sentenced in 2021.
She said Molapo was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment for fraud and corruption, suspended for five years each. Mrwebi and Mamba both received eight years’ imprisonment for charges of fraud and corruption. Their sentences were suspended for five years each.
Matoti said the court ordered both Molapo and Mrwebi to each repay the municipality R200 000 in monthly instalments.
