The seven will apply for bail at their next court appearance. The accused are David Senekal, 31, Caroline Maduna, 39, Kenneth Mahobe, 35, Hlawutelo Baloyi, 29, Pule Masilo, 36, Andries Maduna, 48, and Sibusiso Tshabalala, 46.

The suspects are attached to the municipality’s revenue and electrical departments, and their charges are linked to illegal electricity reconnections. The arrests were made during takedown operations conducted by the Gauteng Political Killings Task Team in Vanderbijlpark. Five suspects were arrested on Friday (21/8), and two additional suspects on Sunday, bringing the total to seven.

It is alleged the suspects engaged in this between February 2024 and June this year, when the municipality would disconnect the electricity of businesses and individuals whose accounts were in arrears.

Senekal is the son of FF Plus Emfuleni Cllr Gerda Senekal. She is also in court facing a charge of alleged fraud related to her academic qualifications. Senekal will appear again in the Vereeniging Magistrate’s Court on Thursday (27/8).

OFM News reported in July 2024 the allegations were initially handled as an internal matter within the FF Plus before leading to a criminal investigation.

“The accused would approach affected business owners and residents and offer to reconnect their electricity supply in exchange for payment,” said Gauteng NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahinjana.

“After receiving money from the complainants, they would allegedly unlawfully reconnect the electricity and manipulate records to reflect a reduced amount owing on the affected accounts.

“In the following months, the electricity account would show the initial amount owed as per their initial bill before being approached by the accused. Their electricity, however, would remain connected due to the illegal connection.

“The complainants reported the matter to the municipality. After internal investigations, the municipality reported the matter to the police, and the seven accused were arrested.”

The DA Emfuleni mayoral candidate Kingsol Chabalala said this crime is appalling but absolutely unsurprising, as this was a foreseeable outcome from an ANC-led municipality that is entrenched in corruption.

“I think failure to strengthen internal controls to ensure that disconnections and reconnections are properly authorised and recorded. I also think the lack of political will by the political leadership of the institution to ensure that such incidents do not happen. I think also three, consequence management, as we’ve seen over the years, employees are allowed to do as they wish.”

The seven also face a theft charge relating to the alleged unlawful and intentional taking of R150,000, described in the charge sheet as property belonging to a resident and Emfuleni municipality.

In February, the accused allegedly defrauded Dalken Beyer by falsely telling her that her electricity could be reconnected after she paid R150,000, according to the charge sheet.

The alleged payment was directed to a Capitec bank account, which the state said the accused were not authorised by the municipality to use for collecting money for electricity reconnections.

Emfuleni executive mayor Cllr Hassan Mako welcomed the arrests of the officials and said corruption has no place in the municipality. “Public office is a position of trust; municipal resources and services should never be used for personal enrichment or to disadvantage residents.”

An inquiry was sent to Gerda Senekal.

OFM News/Zenande Mpame dg

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