Limpopo Official Nabbed After R770,000 Was Paid for Zero Work

R770k Out the Door, No Work Done: Limpopo Official Arrested in Long-Running Corruption Case

A senior municipal official in Limpopo has been arrested for allegedly authorising payments of more than R770,000 to a private company that never lifted a finger. The suspect, now 58, was taken into custody this week by the Hawks’ serious corruption investigation unit based in Phalaborwa.

Although the arrest happened on Tuesday, the alleged wrongdoing dates back nearly a decade and taps into a long-standing public frustration with corruption at municipal level.

What Happened Back in 2015?

According to Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Lethunya Mmuroa, the man was acting municipal manager at the Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality in July 2015 when a major power outage hit the area. Instead of following procurement rules, he allegedly appointed a private company to “assist” with restoring and monitoring the electricity supply.

The company didn’t do any work, but still submitted multiple invoices just days later. Even more alarming: the claims were paid in full.

That single decision cost the municipality more than R770,000, money that could have been used to fix ageing infrastructure, deliver basic services, or plug other long-standing budget gaps.

Hawks Step In and They’re Not Done Yet

After the irregular payments came to light, the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team opened a case, leading to this week’s arrest. Provincial Hawks head, Major General Gopz Govender, praised the investigators, saying their work showed a commitment to “rooting out corruption and ensuring that those who abuse public resources are brought to justice.”

More arrests are expected as the investigation continues, raising questions about whether company executives or other officials were involved.

Local Context: Same Script, Different Town

Stories like this aren’t new to communities in Limpopo and across South Africa. Municipal audits have repeatedly shown millions lost to irregular expenditure, dodgy tenders, and “ghost services.” In some towns, residents say they’re not shocked anymore, they’re tired.

Electricity failures, potholes, dry taps and stalled service delivery have become part of daily life. Against that backdrop, news of R770,000 being paid for nothing feels painfully familiar.

On social media, early reaction has ranged from anger to resignation:

• “Another one caught after 10 years how many more are still chilling?”

• “That money could’ve fixed our broken transformers.”

• “Let’s see if there’s a conviction or it’s just another arrest headline.”

A Bigger Warning to Municipal Officials?

What makes this case stand out is the time lapse, the alleged fraud was committed in 2015, yet accountability has arrived almost 10 years later. That may signal a tightening of the noose for others who thought old cases might be forgotten.

For residents in the Ba-Phalaborwa and Maruleng municipalities, the hope is simple: justice that doesn’t just stop at arrests, but leads to actual convictions and the recovery of public funds.

The Hawks, at least, say they’re not done digging.

{Source: IOL}

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