KZN municipal employee convicted for overtime fraud

Investigations began in 2014/15 financial year

28 February 2023 - 11:35 By Sakhiseni Nxumalo
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A former electricity department foreman from Msunduzi municipality in KwaZulu-Natal was convicted on 24 counts of fraud for overtime payments of R74,972.
A former electricity department foreman from Msunduzi municipality in KwaZulu-Natal was convicted on 24 counts of fraud for overtime payments of R74,972.
Image: 123RF/Olivier Le Moal

A former electricity department foreman from the Msunduzi municipality in KwaZulu-Natal has been convicted on 24 counts of fraud relating to overtime payments of R74,972.

Preetham Sukrajh was convicted and sentenced after a lengthy trial.

Msunduzi city manager Lulamile Mapholoba said the case emanates from investigations by the internal audit unit, which started in the 2014/2015 financial year, where at least three foremen at the electricity department were claiming overtime. 

He was fined R30,000 and ordered to repay the municipality R151,068 to include the fine and overtime with interest. He opted to cede his pension to repay this.

“We hope these sentences will deter other municipal employees from committing fraud, corruption and theft in that it shows the results of forensic investigations can go to the courts for people to account for their evil deeds.

“Fraud and corruption are preventing the municipality from complying fully with the Bill of Rights, which talks to human dignity and improvement of the quality of life of all citizens through service delivery,” said Mapholoba.

Previously, another foreman was convicted after pleading guilty to 22 counts of overtime fraud in a separate matter.

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