SPRINGBOK – Several employees at the Kamiesberg Local Municipality in Garies in the Northern Cape, as well as company directors, were arrested this week for alleged fraud, corruption, and money laundering.
The arrests took place early on Thursday 19 March by members of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation’s (Hawks) Serious Corruption Investigation Unit. This followed a thorough investigation into allegations made by a complainant pertaining to kickbacks and corruption taking place at the municipality, said Warrant Officer Nomthandazo Mnisi, Hawks spokesperson.
BSP Consulting Engineers, with its two directors, Bevan Steyn (55) and Bradley Plaatjies (50), together with municipal manager Rufus Beukes (42), speaker Melvin Cloete (50), senior accountant Rose Cloete (43), personal assistant Melishia Nero (37), and cleaner Fianna Fortuin (41), as well as Aniston Fielding (22), made a brief appearance before the Garies Magistrates Court on Thursday, facing charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering.
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It is alleged that during November 2024, BSP Consulting Engineers submitted a fraudulent invoice to Kamiesberg Local Municipality for work that was not done and the company was paid R216 284.66.
It is further alleged that an amount of R75 000 was paid to Miss Fielding’s Capitec Bank account, which was then distributed to different bank accounts that belonged to employees of the municipality.
Steyn and Plaatjies were released on R10 000 bail each, senior accountant Cloete, Fielding, Nero and Fortuin were released on R1 000 bail each, whilst speaker Cloete had to pay R20 000 bail and Beukes R5 000.
The matter against all accused is postponed to Thursday 23 April before the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Springbok.
Paying for water pumps never delivered
On a separate but related matter, the team arrested Harold Meyer (50), who represents Van Kay General Dealer. He is also a fleet manager at the Namakwa District Municipality in Springbok. In this matter, municipal manager Rufus Beukes and speaker Melvin Cloete of the Kamiesberg Local Municipality in Garies were also arrested. The trio were arrested for alleged fraud, corruption and money laundering.
Allegations are that the Kamiesberg Local Municipality procured two water pumps from Van Kay General Dealer on two separate occasions to amounts of R128 500 and R147 268, which were never delivered to the municipality. It is further alleged that Beukes, as the municipality manager, authorised the payments whilst having knowledge that the water pumps were not delivered.
They appeared at the same court and Meyer was released on R5 000 bail, whereas Beukes and Cloete were released on warning. The case is also postponed to 23 April in the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Springbok, said Mnisi.
