Former KZN municipal worker arrested for allegedly defrauding state of almost R500k

10 February 2021 - 11:08
By orrin singh AND Orrin Singh
A former employee of the Ndwedwe municipality in northern KZN was arrested by the Hawks last week on allegations of fraud amounting to almost R500,000. File photo.
Image: SUHAIB SALEM A former employee of the Ndwedwe municipality in northern KZN was arrested by the Hawks last week on allegations of fraud amounting to almost R500,000. File photo.

A former employee of the Ndwedwe municipality in northern KwaZulu-Natal was arrested and charged by the Hawks for alleged fraud amounting to almost R500,000. 

Members of the Hawks from the Durban serious commercial crime unit arrested Nkosingizwile Gama, 36, on Monday last week. 

Gama was previously employed as a payroll administrator at Ndwedwe municipality.

Hawks spokesperson Capt Simphiwe Mhlongo said between 2015 and 2016, Gama allegedly created "ghost employees" and used fictitious names to defraud the municipality.

“As a result, Ndwedwe municipality suffered prejudice of R488,142.60. During the certification of salary payments, his supervisor noticed suspicious payments and a case of fraud was reported at Ndwedwe police station. The case docket was allocated to Hawks members for thorough investigation.”

Gama appeared in the Durban magistrate's court last week and was released on R5,000 bail. 

He is expected back in court on March 31. 

TimesLIVE