Maruleng official, 58, held by Hawks in Limpopo on Tuesday for R770,000 Ba-Phalaborwa fraud in 2015

A senior official from the Maruleng Local Municipality, aged 58, has been arrested by the Hawks in Limpopo on suspicion of fraud and corruption totalling R770,000. The alleged offences date back to July 2015 when the individual, acting as the Municipal Manager for Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality, approved the appointment of a company for power outage monitoring and restoration without following proper procedures. Subsequently, this company reportedly submitted claims and was paid without having rendered any services.

Key details of the incident

• Who was arrested: A 58-year-old senior official attached to the Maruleng Local Municipality.
• What is the allegation: Fraud and corruption amounting to R770,000.
• When did the alleged incident occur: During July 2015.
• Where did the alleged incident occur: The official was Acting Municipal Manager at the Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality at the time.
• What was the nature of the alleged offence: The official allegedly appointed a company to assist with monitoring and restoring a major power outage in Ba-Phalaborwa without adhering to due processes.
• What happened next: The appointed company submitted multiple claims and was paid for services that were reportedly not rendered.
• Who made the arrest: The Hawks in Limpopo.
• When was the arrest made: On Tuesday.

A closer look at the story

The arrest of a senior official from the Maruleng Local Municipality marks a significant development in the ongoing fight against corruption in Limpopo. The individual, who is 58 years old, faces serious accusations of fraud and corruption to the tune of R770,000. These alleged wrongdoings are believed to have taken place in July 2015, when the suspect held the position of Acting Municipal Manager at the Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality. During that time, a decision was made to engage a company tasked with overseeing and rectifying a substantial power outage affecting the Ba-Phalaborwa area. However, it is alleged that this appointment bypassed the necessary procurement procedures, raising immediate concerns about transparency and accountability. The situation reportedly worsened when the contracted company subsequently submitted numerous claims. Disturbingly, these claims were allegedly processed and paid out despite no actual services being delivered by the company.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What exactly is the senior official accused of?

  The official is accused of fraud and corruption, specifically related to the irregular appointment of a company and the subsequent payment for services that were not rendered, amounting to R770,000.

• When did this alleged incident take place?

  The alleged fraudulent activities occurred in July 2015.

• Which municipalities are involved in this case?

  The official is currently attached to the Maruleng Local Municipality, but the alleged incident took place when they were Acting Municipal Manager at the Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality.

• Who is investigating this case?

  The investigation is being conducted by the Hawks in Limpopo.

• How much money is involved in the alleged corruption?

  The total amount alleged to be involved in the fraud and corruption is R770,000.

• What were the consequences of the irregular appointment?

  The consequence was that a company was appointed without following due processes, and then it submitted claims and was paid without rendering any services to the municipality.

• Where can I find more news about local government issues in Limpopo?

  You can find more stories like this by visiting https://www.cityofthohoyandou.co.za/category/news/.

• Where did this news first come from?

  This report was originally shared by Limpopo Chronicle.