GQEBERHA – The Gqeberha Specialised Commercial Crimes Court has convicted five accused people who are linked to a complex Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) fraud and money laundering scheme perpetrated against the Gqeberha Department of Labour worth over R500,000.
According to the Hawks spokesperson, Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana, the convictions emanated from the case involving a sophisticated and prolonged abuse of administrative processes within the Department. Dimitri Jantjies (48), Barbara Jantjies (76), Thomas Jantjies (77), Virsinese Jantjies (42), and Tania Jantjies (53) were arrested by the Gqeberha Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation in 2015. The accused were released on R1000 bail each.
Speaking on the crimes committed, Mhlakuvana said, “Between May 2009 and March 2011, the late C’Bornai Jantjies was employed in the Employer Services section of the Department of Labour in Gqeberha, and conspired with her brother Dimitri Jantjies, who served as a Claims Assessor at the Department. Together they orchestrated fraudulent UIF claims which were subsequently approved for several family members. A case docket was opened, and the matter was handed over to the Hawks for investigation.”
He stated that the investigation established that the accused deliberately registered and authorised fictitious claims on behalf of ineligible individuals, thereby causing the Department to make illicit payments into bank accounts controlled either by the accused themselves or by intermediaries with whom they had prearranged financial agreements. “The illicitly acquired funds were subsequently laundered through personal and third-party accounts to conceal their criminal origin,” he added.
He further added, “A comprehensive probe also uncovered a web of collusion, nepotism, and systematic manipulation of government systems for unlawful personal enrichment.”
He revealed that there was potential for further losses of more than R100,000 had the fraudulent activity not been intercepted and curtailed.
Following the presentation of evidence before the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Gqeberha, the accused were convicted and found guilty on twelve counts of money laundering on 12 November 2025.
The matter has been remanded to 12 January 2026 for sentencing, and all convicted individuals remain on bail pending finalisation.
