BETHLEHEM: A former official of the Department of Employment and Labour, along with his company, has been sentenced for fraud and money laundering pertaining to the Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (Ters), initiated during the Covid-19 pandemic. Thapelo Alfred Lephondo (47), whose company is Thaps Financial Solutions, will also be subjected to correctional supervision.
The Bethlehem Specialised Commercial Crimes Court handed down the sentence on 21 August. The sentencing was the culmination of an investigation by the Bethlehem Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team, which uncovered compelling evidence.
WO Fikiswa Matoti, provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, said Lephondo had not been in the employment of the department at the time of committing the fraud. She said the evidence presented in court revealed that he had fraudulently received R908 287,28 through the bank account of his company.

Matoti said claims were made for Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) money, for ghost workers purported to be working for Lephondo’s company. She said in 2020 the former official fraudulently applied for Ters benefits on behalf of these “employees”.
“As a result of the fraud committed, the Department of Employment and Labour was prejudiced and suffered a loss. Lephondo was sentenced to a fine of R500 000, or six-years’ imprisonment for fraud.”

She said both sentences were suspended for five years on the condition both accused were not found guilty of the same offence during the period of suspension.

Lephondo’s conviction in relation to Covid-19 fraud follows that of Ntsebeng Marygold Moji (39) and her company, Aqua Land and Swimming Services, on 19 August. Evidence revealed that Moji had similarly received more than R178 000 in fraudulent Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) money on behalf of 16 people purportedly working for her company. The company was fined R200 000 for theft and R200 000 for money laundering. The sentences were wholly suspended for five years on similar conditions.