A Mpumalanga municipality has confirmed that the employee who allegedly stole R1.3m that was meant to pay Eskom debt had previously tried to steal R97,000 but was caught.
Sowetan previously reported how the Lekwa local municipality refused to accept the resignation of a senior creditors clerk who allegedly made a R1.3m payment meant to pay Eskom into her personal account.
The internal audit division’s investigation confirmed that the employee used three personal bank accounts to divert payments meant for two service providers.
— Lubabalo Majenge, spokesperson
On Thursday, spokesperson Lubabalo Majenge confirmed to Sowetan that in July the employee had previously attempted to divert R97,601 to her personal account and was caught.
“The municipal manager immediately instructed that the employee be placed on precautionary suspension and that her access to the municipal banking system be revoked without delay,” said Majenge.
Investigations were later instituted and it was during that process that it was discovered that she had allegedly stolen R1.3m, Majenge said.
She later tried to resign, but the municipality refused to accept her resignation and kept her on suspension pending investigations to determine the extent of the fraud and if other employees were involved.
“The internal audit division’s investigation confirmed that the employee used three personal bank accounts to divert payments meant for two service providers. The total amount fraudulently diverted to her personal accounts over the investigated period is R1,467,031.22.
“The acting municipal manager of Lekwa local municipality, Mthembeni Jiyane, has opened a criminal case of fraud, forgery, uttering and theft against the suspended senior creditors clerk at the Standerton police station,” he said.
Majenge said it was also discovered that the clerk had been using three bank accounts to defraud the municipality.
“The acting municipal manager further directed that an urgent internal investigation be conducted and that the internal audit division perform a thorough audit of all transactions processed by the employee for a minimum period of the past three years while action against the employee was being taken.
He said audit analysis shows that the employee was using the same modus operandi in each instance.
“At the point of capturing payment details in the banking system, she altered the banking information of the legitimate service provider and substituted it with her account details.
By December last year, the municipality owed Eskom more than R5bn.
Spokesperson of the Hawks in Mpumalanga Lt-Col Magonseni Nkosi confirmed that the Hawks have been handed the docket after the case was opened.
Sowetan