Pretoria - A former housing and planning manager at Lesedi Local Municipality in Heidelberg has been convicted for over R100 million fraud by the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court on Friday.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said Tshepo Malekane operated his scheme between January and December in 2020.
The 40-year-old generated a fraudulent power of attorney, instructed conveyancing law firms to transfer ownership of 78 properties belonging to the Lesedi Local Municipality, and sold them at a price that is not the actual value of the property.
Malekana forged the municipal manager’s signature when he illegally sold the council’s vacant land.
“The municipality reported the matter after they made the discovery. After investigations, Malekana was arrested in March 2021, after he was linked to the offences,” Mahanjana said.
Malekana was released on R3000 bail.
“Most of the properties that were defrauded by Malekane were later registered back to the municipality,” said Mahanjana.
The matter has been postponed to April 26 for sentencing.
IOL