Six Mpumalanga licensing officials bust for alleged multimillion-rand fraud released on bail

Six Mpumalanga government  officials accused of multimillion-rand vehicle licensing fraud appeared in the Nelspruit magistrate’s court on Monday.

Road Traffic Management Corporation spokesperson Simon Zwane said its national traffic anti-corruption unit’s extensive investigation showed the province lost close to R60m in revenue because of unlawful activities.

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 department of community safety and liaison as administrators, while Nompumelelo Winnie Nxumalo, 44, was a clerk at the Mbombela municipal registering authority.

“Between 2018 and 2019, the six 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 rand,” National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said.

“The suspects are facing 603 charges of fraud, theft and money laundering.”

The accused were granted bail of R15,000 each and the matter was postponed to September 29 for further investigation.

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