Durban – Five more people have been arrested in connection with vehicle licensing fraud in Nelspruit amounting to almost R60 million.
To date, 14 people have been charged and face charges of fraud, theft and money laundering.
The suspects are facing 603 charges of fraud.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority, the accused allegedly conducted unlawful transactions among others, by licensing private motor vehicles as though they belonged to government departments, resulting in a loss of millions of rands.
The first batch of arrests took place in July this year, where six licensing department officials were arrested.
Five of the accused were employed by the Mpumalanga Provincial Administration of the Department of Community Safety and Liaison, as administrators.
They are: Xoliswa Celia Ngelwane, 51, Nkosinathi Samuel Gumede, 37, Agnes Nozipho Ndzinisa, 53, Thembi Millicent Motlohi, 42, and Alman Thabang Masuku, 42, were employed by the Mpumalanga Provincial Administration of the Department of Community Safety and Liaison, as administrators.
The sixth accused Nompumelelo Winnie Nxumalo, 44, worked as a clerk for the Mbombela Municipal Registering Authority.
In September three more people – Thabang Clifford Khumalo, Nonhlanhla Precious Macheke and Nkosinathi Desmond Mahlalela – were arrested.
Today five more people appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court.
Speaking about this week’s arrest NPA spokesperson Monica Nyuswa the five accused were arrested on Tuesday at their testing stations.
The accused are: Lindy Dinah Mantshwane, 45, Lydia Sindiswa Maseko, 47, Phindile Grace Maseko, 49, Salibona Harriet Mlangeni, 47, and Zinhle Precious Tshabalala, aged 36.
All the accused have been released on R15 000 bail.
A majority of the accused have been ordered to surrender their passports to the investigating officer as part of their bail conditions.
The matter was postponed to December 6.
IOL