The former CFO of Thembellihle Municipality and two cashiers from Phokwane Municipality were arrested by the Hawks
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THE FORMER Thembelihle Municipality chief financial officer (CFO), Radille Jacobs Shuping, 38, was released on bail of R5,000 in the Hopetown Magistrate’s Court following his arrest by the Hawks’ Kimberley Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team on March 27.
Hawks Northern Cape spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Tebogo Thebe said Shuping was arrested in Victoria West.
“Shuping allegedly withheld third-party payments between February 2021 and July 2023 while serving as the CFO of Thembelihle Local Municipality. One of the third parties includes the Consolidated Retirement Pension Fund (CFR). This left Thembelihle Local Municipality with a debt of over R6 million in pension fund contributions for employees, whereby Section 13A of the Pension Fund Act 24 of 1956 was contravened with 1,800 counts,” said Thebe.
He noted that Shuping appeared in the Hopetown Magistrate’s Court immediately after his arrest.
"He was released on bail of R5,000 and the matter was postponed until April 25.”
Thebe added that two officials from Phokwane Local Municipality were arrested in Hartswater on March 27 for allegedly defrauding the municipality of R3 million between January 2022 and August 2023.
“Two cashiers - Thato Morake, 34, and Ayanda Ndwanya, 35, were charged with fraud, alternative theft and money laundering.”
He stated that an audit undertaken by the municipality revealed that the duo captured municipal payments as direct deposits in the internal financial ledgers, while they don’t reflect in the bank statements.
“It appears that the suspects were pocketing cash payments for personal use and reflecting them as direct deposits. The municipality suffered a total loss of over R3 million.”
The provincial head of the Hawks in Northern Cape, Major-General Stephen Mabuela, expressed his appreciation to the investigation teams for their thorough work.
“We intend to intensify arrests so that these matters can be placed before the courts,” he concluded.