Ex-OR Tambo municipality accountant gets 15 years for fraud

Apology:

In the online edition of the Daily Dispatch of 26 March 2021, we published an article with a headline: “Ex-OR Tambo accountant gets 15 years for fraud”.

Mr Lumko Mtimde lodged a complaint with the Press Council of South Africa. Acting Press Ombud Johan Retief ruled the headline was misleading as the article referred to the OR Tambo Municipality and not the late ANC President, OR Tambo. As there was no intention to mislead our readers and the headline was immediately changed to read “Ex-OR Tambo Municipality accountant gets 15 years for fraud”, Retief did not order a sanction. Mtimde appealed the latter decision while Daily Dispatch cross-appealed the main finding. The Press Council’s Appeal Panel upheld the finding that the headline was misleading and also ordered us to apologise.

We apologise unreservedly for the error which may have misled some of our readers.

For the full finding, see www.presscouncil.org.za

Nyameka Qongqo, 44, admitted to stealing millions from November 2012 to 2014 in her plea of guilty in the Mthatha high court last month.

On Thursday, judge Richard Brooks meted out a 15-year-sentence for fraud and 10 years for money laundering.

The sentences will run concurrently.

Qongqo was initially charged with her sister, Thumeka, and ex-boyfriend Thobani Notshokovu.

Last year, Notshokovu pleaded guilty and was subsequently sentenced to 10 years imprisonment with an option of R50,000.

Thumeka pleaded not guilty and will be back in the dock on May 3.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The headline of this article has been updated by including the word “municipality”.

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