Former CoJ manager sentenced to seven years for 224 counts of diesel theft

A City of Johannesburg (CoJ) official received a seven-year sentence on Thursday for stealing large quantities of diesel.

Sipho Dikhoba was found guilty by the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court of siphoning R1 million worth of fuel from the Department of Social Development (DSD).  

However, the sentence was suspended for five years on the condition that the 50-year-old Dikhoba forfeit his pension of over R500,000 to his former employer.  

Disappointing rise and fall

During the trial, the court heard how Dikhoba had worked his way up from a cleaner at the CoJ to the position of manager.

He resigned from his role as a project manager when he was confronted with evidence of misconduct relating to questionable invoices submitted between August 2019 and October 2020.

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The DSD’s finance department identified the irregularities, with investigations showing diesel invoices intended for generators that were not in service.

“The accused pleaded guilty to a string of 224 counts of theft and cooperated with the state by testifying against his accomplice, who is currently on trial,” confirmed Phindi Mjonondwane, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson in Gauteng.

Fuel meant for disadvantaged

Arguments made by senior state advocate Valencia Dube suggested that the stolen diesel was intended for generator units used to power vulnerable households under the care of the DSD.

“Advocate Dube highlighted that this crime would have a disproportionately adverse effect on already disadvantaged members of society, exacerbating their plight,” explained Mjonondwane.

Emphasising the abuse of trust, Mjonondwane said, “This case highlights the NPA’s commitment to combating corruption and ensuring accountability, particularly in cases involving public officials.

Bank employee sentenced for fraud

Meanwhile, a former bank employee was given a similar sentence for defrauding Standard Bank clients of a collective R3 million.

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Cynthia Ncube was handed seven years in prison for defrauding multiple clients with “significant investments” and redirecting funds to offshore her accounts, as well as her own.

“This outcome reinforces the NPA’s commitment to prosecuting financial crimes and upholding the integrity of the banking system of South Africa,” Mjonondwane concluded.