City of Mbombela officials arrested in connection with a R1.5 million property fraud scheme.
A 42-year-old City of Mbombela administration officer and a 54-year-old municipal employee are expected to appear before the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court today following their arrest in connection with an alleged R1.5 million municipal property fraud scheme uncovered by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks).
The pair were taken into custody by the Hawks’ Nelspruit-based Serious Corruption Investigation unit for their alleged involvement in the unlawful sale and purchase of municipal properties, despite a moratorium imposed by the City Council in 2023 prohibiting such transactions.
Hawks spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi, said the investigation revealed a pattern of irregular dealings in which municipal properties were allegedly transferred through fraudulent means, with at least three properties implicated in the scheme.
It is alleged that the administration officer, who had “in-depth knowledge of the municipality's property sales processes,” orchestrated the transfer of a house valued at R540 000 into the name of his uncle, a person living with a disability, “without his knowledge or consent.”
