She squandered RAF money meant for an injured child — attorney jailed for stealing R3.5m

Mpumalanga attorney Jo-Anne Mantladi Mmela, who went on the run after siphoning off millions in Road Accident Fund (RAF) payouts, has been sentenced to 10 years’ direct imprisonment.

Mmela, 44, was sentenced on Thursday by the Middelburg Serious Commercial Crimes Court on four counts of theft of RAF money.

According to the Hawks in Mpumalanga, Mmela’s crimes involved close to R3.5 million stolen from four different victims, including a child who had been severely injured in an accident.

Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Thandi Tshabalala said Mmela, who practised under Mmela and Associates, redirected RAF payouts into other accounts instead of paying her clients.

“The RAF processed the claims and paid the money into her trust account, but instead of transferring it to the victims’ guardians, she redirected the funds to someone else’s account,” Tshabalala said. “She then misled the families by claiming she had already paid them.”

Mmela was first arrested on 20 September 2022 and released on R25,000 bail. She was due in court on 5 December 2022, but absconded.

In February 2024, IOL reported that the Hawks launched a manhunt for her and appealed to community members to assist in tracing her whereabouts. She was later arrested in the Pretoria area after members of the public responded to the appeal.

After her re-arrest, Mmela was denied bail and remanded in custody. While she was behind bars, more victims came forward, resulting in additional charges being added.

Tshabalala said the Hawks welcomed the sentence.

“This outcome sends a clear message that professionals who exploit vulnerable victims for personal gain will be held accountable,” she said. “We commend our investigation team and the National Prosecuting Authority for the successful outcome.”

jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za

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