Former cashier allegedly steals millions from fresh produce market in Mpumalanga

In a matter of only six months, a now former cashier of the Nelspruit National Fresh Produce Market allegedly stole R1.1m in cash.

Amanda Fourie (65), also known as Mandi, was arrested in the early hours of July 5 at her home in West Acres.

A police investigation discovered that she had allegedly stolen more than R2.5m in the three years she was working for Derek Bouwer, the owner of the market.

Bouwer said they didn’t pick up that money was disappearing from the cash register until June this year.

“Our market agent, Carlo Neto, discovered the alleged theft when he caught Fourie red-handed as she pocketed R10 000,” he said.

Neto was with Fourie the day a customer paid R17 000 in cash to the market. When they cashed up at the end of the day, it was found that only R7 000 was in the till.

“When she was confronted, she denied any knowledge of the theft. However, when the R10 000 was discovered in her handbag, she admitted everything,’” said Bouwer.

The company did an audit and discovered that more than R2.5m had disappeared since 2021, when she was appointed as cashier.

“We discovered the most she had stolen in one day was R40 000.”

LabourNet consultants were called in to investigate the matter and during the disciplinary hearing, Fourie admitted that she had pocketed the money.

“What she did was take cash for sales and at the end of the day she would reverse or delete transactions. She then took the cash. She admitted to LabourNet that the money was used for gambling,” claims Bouwer.

He said she even signed an admission of guilt and acknowledgement of debt before witnesses at the LabourNet hearing.

According to Bouwer, it was suspected that her husband, Peter, was also involved. He had also worked for the company for the past three years, but was dismissed on an unrelated matter three months ago.

“I will put my hand on the Bible and swear that Peter did not know. Because we always had gambling winnings, he did not suspect anything. Peter is a deep Christian,” Fourie wrote in a WhatsApp message to Bouwer.

When Fourie, who spent three nights behind bars, was questioned by the police during the weekend following her arrest, she apparently denied being involved.

Her husband, Peter, told Lowvelder that she had indeed spent the whole weekend in jail. “She was taken to court last Monday, and I received a call from our lawyer to come and fetch her. She did not appear in court.”

He also confirmed that he is no longer working for the company.

Fourie admitted to Lowvelder that she was arrested and charged. She did not want to respond to other queries or elaborate on the merits of the case.

Monica Nyuswa, provincial spokesperson for the NPA, confirmed that Fourie had been in court, but that the matter had not been enrolled due to insufficient evidence. “The prosecutor referred the docket back to the police for further investigation,” she said.

Captain Magonseni Nkosi, a police spokesperson, confirmed that they are investigating a case of theft. He said the docket would be resubmitted to the prosecutor once the investigation has been finalised.