Councillor bust for allegedly taking cut of municipal interns' stipends faces trial

A Western Cape councillor who allegedly pocketed R35,000 of municipal interns’ stipends is set to be tried in the regional court.

The Hawks swooped on Riversdale councillor Christopher Taute, 62, and Claudio Conradie, 36, a fieldworker at the McGregor municipality, on fraud and corruption charges in March.

Taute and Conradie appeared in the Riversdale magistrate's court on Wednesday on 21 corruption charges and a count of fraud.

When they were arrested, Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani said the bust followed a “lengthy investigation” by the directorate’s serious commercial crime investigation.

“It is reported that Conradie had been appointed by the municipality to recruit candidates for an internship on skills development. The candidates based in Riversdale and Still Bay, were at that time given a stipend of R4,500,” said Hani.  

“It was alleged that Conradie instructed the candidates to pay R1,500 from the stipend to the account number belonging to the councillor. Some candidates complied with the instructions and paid up to R35,000 into Taute’s account.

“One of the employees was also instructed to pay money into the same account for being employed by the implementing entity, but the employee refused and was then fired as a result of noncompliance.”

On Wednesday Eric Ntabazalila, the spokesperson for the prosecution, said the case was transferred to the Riversdale regional court and postponed to June 5.

Taute and Conradie are out on R10,000 bail each. 

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