The Hawks spokesperson, Tlangelani Rikhotso, says the 52-year-old man who is employed as a technician at the Maquassi Hills Municipality, which includes Wolmaransstad, was nabbed for allegedly requesting a bribe of R112 000. She says it’s alleged that the suspects offered to reduce a client’s R1 million debt in exchange for a R112 000 payment. Rikhotso adds that Hawks’ serious Commercial Crime Unit arrested the suspect while in possession of the said amount on Wednesday, following an operation. He was expected to appear before the Wolmaransstad Magistrate's Court on Thursday 5 November 2020.

On Friday 23 October 2020, the JB Marks Municipality’s mayor, Kgotso Khumalo, and his former acting municipal manager (MM), Cyril Henry, were nabbed by the Hawks in Potchefstroom for alleged fraud and theft, amounting to R5 million. The pair then appeared at the Potchefstroom Magistrate’s Court and were released on a warning but were ordered not set foot at the municipal offices until the case was concluded. 

Three days later, on Monday 26 October, a sports department official, Mohau Shuping, handed himself over to the police on similar charges, and he was also let go on a warning with similar conditions that were imposed on Khumalo and Henry by the court. Their case was postponed to 1 December 2020.

 OFM News