Fraud charges against former municipal employees and company directors
On 17 July 2024, five individuals, including former municipal employees and company directors, appeared in the Rustenburg Magistrates' Court on fraud charges.
Five individuals, including former municipal employees and company directors, faced fraud charges in the Rustenburg Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 17 July 2024.
Mpho Alistair Lesolle (41), Johannes Botes Rossouw (58), Pieter Retief von Willigh (58), Ntlhayakgosi Michael Mokgwamme (66), and Merika Johannes Madungandaba (66) were charged with fraud.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Tinyiko Mathebula, spokesperon for the Hawks, Rossouw, von Willigh, and Madungandaba, directors of Malesela T&D Pty (Ltd), allegedly entered a contract with the Rustenburg Local Municipality in 2013 to install a switchgear for the Ikemeleng Bulk Infrastructure. Lesolle and Mokgwamme, former municipal employees, were assigned to oversee the project’s completion and ensure the switchgear’s installation.
“In September 2013, the Municipality disbursed over R2 million to Malesela T&D Pty (Ltd) for the switchgear installation. However, investigations later uncovered that the contracted service was never provided despite the payment. After a comprehensive investigation, summons were issued to the accused between June and July 2024. During their court appearance, the accused were released on warning, and the case was postponed to 21 August 2024 for further proceedings,” said Mathebula.
