An accounting blunder by the Amathole District Municipality (ADM) resulted in an employee, who worked as a plumber, receiving just over R400 000 into her bank account.
Yolanda Jamani, based in Cathcart, received the money in August last year, instead of her monthly salary of R15000. A day after the blunder was discovered, the municipality was unable to trace Jamani. She was later arrested, tried and found guilty of theft in November last year.
Police spokesman Captain Mluleki Mbi said the municipality became aware of the transaction the day after it had been made. They called Jamani but her phone was off.
The municipality opened a case of fraud at the Cambridge police station in East London, close to ADM’s headquarters.
Mbi said Jamani used about R200000 of the money as the other half had apparently been taken off the payment as tax.
“On investigation, we discovered that she had transferred the money to her mother and her sister and she also paid all her debts. From that R400000, R200000 was taxed, so she got about R200000. In court, the charge was changed to theft as she was not aware or not part of paymaster office. Further it was discovered that it was a computer error, but, because she used money that was not hers, as a result she was found guilty of theft,” said Mbi.
Jamani, who has since been fired, was ordered to pay back the money.
ADM spokesman, Siyabulela Makunga, denied the payment of R400000 but said Jamani received R252771.89. According to the numbers provided by ADM, Jamani was taxed over R150000.
The municipality claims the amount is in line with the country’s tax laws. Individual income tax rates in South Africa range from 18% for income below R188000 per annum to 41% for amounts over R701300.
“R252771.89 was paid out to Ms Jamani and the balance of R155287.79 was deducted by SARS in line with the applicable SA tax laws.
“The SARS deduction of R155287.79 has since been reversed and deposited back into ADM coffers,” said Makunga.
When the Daily Dispatch first contacted the municipality, it said it had recovered the amount but this week it said they were in the process of recovering it. — simthandilef@dispatch.co.za
ADM employee guilty of theft after R400k wrongly deposited
Yolanda Jamani, based in Cathcart, received the money in August last year, instead of her monthly salary of R15000. A day after the blunder was discovered, the municipality was unable to trace Jamani. She was later arrested, tried and found guilty of theft in November last year.
Police spokesman Captain Mluleki Mbi said the municipality became aware of the transaction the day after it had been made. They called Jamani but her phone was off.
The municipality opened a case of fraud at the Cambridge police station in East London, close to ADM’s headquarters.
Mbi said Jamani used about R200000 of the money as the other half had apparently been taken off the payment as tax.
“On investigation, we discovered that she had transferred the money to her mother and her sister and she also paid all her debts. From that R400000, R200000 was taxed, so she got about R200000. In court, the charge was changed to theft as she was not aware or not part of paymaster office. Further it was discovered that it was a computer error, but, because she used money that was not hers, as a result she was found guilty of theft,” said Mbi.
Jamani, who has since been fired, was ordered to pay back the money.
ADM spokesman, Siyabulela Makunga, denied the payment of R400000 but said Jamani received R252771.89. According to the numbers provided by ADM, Jamani was taxed over R150000.
The municipality claims the amount is in line with the country’s tax laws. Individual income tax rates in South Africa range from 18% for income below R188000 per annum to 41% for amounts over R701300.
“R252771.89 was paid out to Ms Jamani and the balance of R155287.79 was deducted by SARS in line with the applicable SA tax laws.
“The SARS deduction of R155287.79 has since been reversed and deposited back into ADM coffers,” said Makunga.
When the Daily Dispatch first contacted the municipality, it said it had recovered the amount but this week it said they were in the process of recovering it. — simthandilef@dispatch.co.za
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