Rustenburg - A former director of local economic development at the Moses Kotane Local Municipality appeared in court on fraud charges related to her salary.
Gabonewe Ridam Madikela, 39, appeared in the Mankwe Magistrate’s Court in Mogwase on Tuesday, facing six charges of fraud amounting to R522 881, which she received as remuneration for a period of six months while she was allegedly simultaneously occupying another government post without her employer’s knowledge.
She was granted R10 000 bail and the case against her was postponed to April 19 for transfer to the specialised commercial crimes court for trial.
The court further ordered that she surrender her passport to the investigating officer.
The Hawks arrested her on Monday, following a thorough investigation into allegations that she received a salary from the North West-based municipality while at the same time employed by the national department.
“Her arrest emanates from her fraudulent orchestration of theft, involving her salary while she was employed by the Moses Kotane Local Municipality as a director in charge of local economic development during the period of April to September 2022. Her contract was to commence from 1 July 2019, to end on 30 June 2024, with an all-inclusive annual salary of R1 274 619,” said National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson in the North West division, Henry Mamothame.
“It is alleged that in March 2022 the accused applied for study leave from 30 March 2022 to 24 May 2022, with a confirmation letter from an institution of higher learning. On 29 March 2022, she applied for 39 days’ annual leave from 8 May 2022 to 27 June 2022, with the municipality granting her leave on both applications. Towards the end of the annual leave, she submitted sick notes from a private medical facility in Akasia, purportedly issued by her doctor, indicating that she was sickly and hospitalised.”
Mamothame said the Hawks’ investigations revealed that during the period of her leave and purported illness, she was employed by the department of water and sanitation as a director, while still earning a salary from the Moses Kotane Local Municipality.
“Investigations reveal that reasons provided for her leave were false, including supporting documents from the institution of higher learning, as well as the medical certificates she provided as proof,” he said.
In a separate case, the Hawks said Geo Paul, 61, a former acting head of department for the North West Department of Finance, made his first appearance in the Molopo Magistrate’s Court in Mmabatho on Tuesday, facing two counts of contravention of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).
“It is reported that between July and August 2011, the Department of Finance fraudulently appointed Morake Attorneys to conduct disciplinary proceedings of three senior officials.
“The accused, who was the accounting officer for the Department of Finance at the time, allegedly contravened the PFMA by approving a request for deviation from the competitive bidding process and expanded the scope of services required.
“He allegedly further disregarded a cheaper quotation and failed to take appropriate steps to prevent the unauthorised, irregular and wasteful expenditure to the tune of R15 459 380.18,” said Hawks spokesperson in North West, Captain Tlangelani Rikhotso.
The case against him was postponed to June 12 for the outcome of representation.
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