Pieterson was formerly employed at the Department of Home Affairs office in Calvinia in the Northern Cape, where she abused her access to departmental records to commit fraud and corruption between February 2019 and September 2022.

She did this by opening funeral policies on clients’ identity numbers, nominating herself as the beneficiary, then falsely declaring the holders of the ID numbers as deceased in order to access the payouts.

The department said it would continue to monitor the case as Pieterson is scheduled to be sentenced on 26 January 2026.

“This latest successful conviction is another step forward in our ongoing work to clean up Home Affairs. It is the ninth conviction secured through the collaboration between the department and law enforcement agencies. It also follows the dismissal of 37 officials since July 2024.

“I applaud the department’s Counter Corruption unit for this conviction, as well as our partners in the Hawks and other entities.”

The Minister said the modus operandi used in this case confirmed the fundamental importance of the digital transformation agenda.

“By fully automating and digitalising all departmental processes, as we are doing through the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for visas and through Digital ID for civics services, we will eliminate the space for human discretion and interference exploited by criminals like Pieterson.

“We are absolutely determined to both put criminal officials behind bars, while simultaneously using technology to close the loopholes they exploit. This is how we can defeat the scourge of corruption once and for all,” the Minister said.

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Theletsane – who was out on parole after serving time for another fraud case – allegedly contacted a businessman on WhatsApp using Lebeya’s profile picture.

“[He] allegedly claimed his phone had been hacked and that the businessman would be contacted by ‘Mr. Mokoena’, purportedly a police officer from the cybercrime unit. Posing as ‘Mr. Mokoena,’ Theletsane allegedly told the businessman that his phone had been hacked and offered to ‘clean’ it.

“He is accused of requesting the businessman’s frequently used contact numbers, which he then obtained. The accused allegedly asked the businessman to make a payment for a hard drive to store his information; however, this payment was not made,” the National Prosecuting Authority said in a statement.

According to the statement, Theletsane then contacted another complainant “using the numbers supplied by the businessman”.

“He allegedly told the second complainant that their phone had been hacked and requested a payment of R50 000 for a hard drive to store their information. The complainant paid the money.

“After realising they had been defrauded, both victims reported the matter to the police on 01 November 2024,” the statement read.

Theletsane was arrested in May this year following an investigation and subsequently applied for bail on the basis that he is a father of seven with “another on the way to provide for”.

“Prosecutor Dikeledi Moganyaka opposed the bail application and read into the record an affidavit by investigating officer Mpho Phantinah Dlamini. The affidavit stated that the accused had deliberately given a false address during the investigation and had two previous convictions for fraud and forgery from 2020, making him likely to reoffend if released.

“In delivering judgment, the magistrate agreed with the State that the accused has the propensity of committing crime since he is alleged to have committed the current offences just days after being released on parole. The court also found his claims about the parole board to be unsubstantiated and ruled that releasing him would not be in the interest of justice,” the statement said.

The case was postponed to September.

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“On Monday, 28 July 2025, the Department of Home Affairs dismissed a further five officials, with immediate effect, for offences ranging from fraud to sexual assault. The total number of officials dismissed between July 2024 and July 2025 now stands at 38,” the Ministry of Home Affairs said.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Ministry said eight officials have already been convicted and sentenced to prison terms ranging from four to 18 years, while the criminal prosecution of another 19 is underway.

“These dismissals follow on the crackdown on a passport syndicate in Durban just last month, where two officials and three members of the public were arrested. These results demonstrate the growing success of Home Affairs in dealing with criminal syndicates both inside and outside the department,” said the Ministry.

Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber said the days of defrauding the department are over.

“In just 12 months, we have already rid Home Affairs of 38 crooked and delinquent officials. I repeat my warning to anyone involved in corruption: the days of defrauding this department or committing acts of sexual harassment or abuse while relying on long drawn-out disciplinary processes, are over.”

The Minister thanked the department’s diligent officials, including those involved in accelerating disciplinary processes, who are playing a critical role “in our work to clean up Home Affairs”.

“Committed officials like these are the future of Home Affairs, as we continue to work together as #TeamHomeAffairs to clean out the corrupt elements that represent the past,” said the Minister.

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According to reports, in August 2019, the former Accounting Officer of the Bultfontein municipality appointed a service provider to deliver debt collection services without adhering to the municipality’s prescribed supply chain procedures. Consequently, a payment of approximately R530,190.80 was made to the service provider’s bank account.

The irregularity was flagged by the Auditor-General South Africa (AGSA), whose report was later presented to municipal councillors. The report found that the municipality had incurred irregular and wasteful expenditure in both the appointment and payment of the service provider. It further alleged that the service provider had submitted fraudulent documents and invoices and had failed to deliver the contracted services. As a result, the municipality suffered a financial loss equivalent to the full amount paid.

The matter was formally registered and referred to the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit for further inquiry.

The two suspects, along with the implicated company, have been charged with fraud, contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act, and contravention of the Debt Collectors Act. They are scheduled to appear before the Bultfontein Magistrates’ Court on 28 May 2025.

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National Prosecuting Authority Gauteng division spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said the charges relate to Standard Bank’s Social Corporate Investment Programme, which Masuku allegedly used to award bursaries to family and friends.

“The alleged offenses were committed during her tenure as Head of Standard Bank’s Social Corporate Investments Programme, prior to her appointment at the IEC. She allegedly transferred a sum of R800,000 to a second individual implicated in the case.”

“Furthermore,the state alleges that she illicitly awarded bursaries worth R400 000 to ineligible recipients, including family members and friends,” said Mjonondwane.

The matter was adjourned to 4 September to allow the state sufficient time to apprehend the outstanding suspect.

“The accused was released on R20000 bail,” said Mjonondwane.

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The scheme, which was administered by the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), was created by government to assist employers and employees that were distressed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the SIU, the four accused allegedly claimed benefits that were not due to them and were exposed following an investigation by the unit.

The four accused are Nomvuzo Melody Kupiso, Tlotliso Molaba, Lehlohonolo Class Motaung and Lelokonyana Isak Letseng.

The corruption busting unit said Kupiso, through her company, Khayathi, unlawfully applied for TERS benefits on behalf of individuals who were no longer employed at Khayathi “through misrepresentation and intending to defraud the UIF”. 

“Khayathi and Kupiso unlawfully and falsely made or created the proof of payments, which appeared to have been signed by the ’employees’ on receipt of the TERS benefit at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The individuals have not been employed at Khayathi since 2015. The UIF released the total payment in the amount of R216 905.95 to Khayathi.

“On 23 January 2024, the SIU referred the matter to the relevant prosecuting authority. On 18 April 2024, Kupiso was arrested and appeared on the same day before the King Wiliams Magistrates Court, Eastern Cape, on fraud, forgery, and uttering allegations. Kupiso was released on R1 500 bail,” the SIU said.

In the case of Molaba, Motaung and Letseng, the SIU alleges that the three – through their companies, Afrikhan Source (Pty) Ltd owned by Molaba and Motaung and Izuz Gibbor (Pty) Ltd owned by Letseng, “applied for the COVID–19 TERS online during two different periods”.

“Between March 2020 and October 2020, Afrikhan Source applied for COVID–19 TERS on behalf of individuals allegedly affected by the COVID–19 pandemic. The UIF made nine payments amounting to approximately R1 396,053,40 to the company’s account between September 2020 and December 2020.

“Between July 2020 and October 2021, Izuz Gibbor made applications for COVID-19 TERS on behalf of certain individuals who claimed to be affected by the pandemic. The company received nine payments from UIF, amounting to an estimated total of R101 555.92, in this period. However, it was discovered that the applicants never worked for either of the two companies.

“The SIU referred the matter to the prosecuting authority. The suspects were arrested in Bloemfontein and Phuthaditjhaba, Free State, on 25 April 2024. They were granted R10 000 bail each and the matter has been postponed to 11 June 2024,” the SIU said.

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The Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crime Court postponed the case on Tuesday for disclosure and for it be transferred to the Pretoria Regional Court.

The state was ordered to disclose an outstanding document to one of the defence attorneys by 17 May.

Phahlane, Lieutenant-Colonel Godfrey Mahwayi,  Major-General Maanda Obert Nemutandzhela, Major-General Mankosana Agnes Makhele and businessmen Inbanathan Kistiah and Avendra Naidoo are facing charges of fraud, corruption, theft and contravention of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) relating to two contracts valued at approximately R54 million.

Investigating Directorate spokesperson Henry Mamothame said the court appearance emanated from incidents in October 2015, when university students embarked on the #FeesMustFall protests, with police dispatched to stabilise the violent unrest.

“It is alleged that on 21 December 2016, the South African Police Service (SAPS) Crime Intelligence Division embarked on an emergency procurement of software tools or systems. One of the software, RIPJAR, was intended to collect and monitor information from social media platforms on the instigators of the student protests.”

“It however emerged that these “emergency” response measures came about in December 2016 when the protest had started in October 2015. Furthermore, they allegedly attempted to purchase RIPJAR software from a company that was not involved in software engineering, but was a security alarms and surveillance cameras company.”

“It further emerged that the owners of the competing companies were friends, who in fact and in truth were involved in cover quoting. The cover quoting was supplied to Inbanathan Kistiah by the former husband of the sole director of a company called Perfect Source, which was a human resource recruitment company,” he said.

Mamothame said another mobile communication encryption software known as Daedalus, which was solely used for encrypting calls and wiping out cellphone records and messages, was procured through deviation from standard procurement processes, with the contract signed on the same day and payment made on December 22, a day after approval.

“The software was also used to encrypt voice calls made by SAPS management at the time when Phahlane was under investigation by IPID for the “Blue Lights” police tender and other irregular procurement at the time he was acting police commissioner,” he said.

All accused are out on bail.

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According to the 2023 LexisNexis® True Cost of Fraud Study – Europe, Middle East and Africa, retailers incur a cost of R3.10 and financial institutions R4.52.

“These costs encompass financial losses due to fraud, as well as internal labor expenses, external costs, interest and fees, along with the expenses associated with replacing or redistributing lost or stolen merchandise,” the researchers said.

The study revealed that 49% of companies in South Africa reported an increase in fraud in 12 months prior to the survey.

Criminals constantly innovate. new payment methods provide fraudsters with opportunities to exploit vulnerabilities in the retail sector. Financial institutions are realizing increasing trends in identity theft, scams and digital wallet fraud.

2023 LexisNexis® True Cost of Fraud Study – Europe, Middle East and Africa

“While rapid adoption of digital payments improves payment experiences, it also exposes numerous systems and channels to more innovative fraud attacks. Across Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), digital channels account for 52% of overall fraud losses, surpassing physical fraud for the first time.”

“Consequently, cybercriminals exploit the anonymity of digital, cross-border transactions to execute fast and untraceable fraud. Additionally, the rise of scams and the use of technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI), expands cybercriminals’ ability to exploit both consumers and businesses.”

The study also reflected the evolution of criminal tactics.

“More than half (52%) of businesses in EMEA identify the rise of synthetic identities as the primary challenge in customer identity verification. Fraud remains a widespread problem for businesses, exerting pressure not only on financial resources but also impacting overall operational efficiency, customer trust and reputation.”

EMEA at LexisNexis Risk Solutions fraud and identity director Jason Lane-Sellers said: “It is self-evident that new forms of fraud increase the risk of financial losses for consumers and businesses. The issues facing businesses become even more challenging due to the fraud multiplier effect, where the losses experienced by organizations continue to increase and far exceed the lost face value in any transaction. Preventing fraud requires a multi-layered approach throughout the customer journey.”

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