After a former municipal senior clerk was sentenced to four years imprisonment for 435 charges of fraud, policy analyst Nkosikhulule Nyembezi, said the roll of dishonour keeps lengthening for corrupt officials.
This comes after Pieter Jacobus Adams (57), was sentenced to ten years - of which six years was suspended - after he was convicted for selling free electricity tokens while employed at the Bergrivier Municipality.
The defrauding of the municipal office amounted to R1.3million.
Nyembezi said: “Civil service is a hard job. Many employees do it well. Yet there is no satisfaction in saying that public confidence in the commitment of public officials to the batho pele principles has collapsed as many more corrupt officials join in a lengthening roll of dishonour.
“South Africans are entitled to better service from their upright public officials. To build public confidence, a new leadership team in the era of coalition governments must end corruption and unethical conduct by ensuring that the certainty of arrest, prosecution, and conviction becomes a deterrent to any would-be criminal,” said Nyembezi.
Hawks spokesperson, Siyabulela Vukubi, said Adams’ municipal workers’ retirement fund with a benefit amount of R 510,106 was confiscated in terms of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA), Act 121 of 1998.
Adams was able to conduct the fraudulent activities after he marked himself as indigent and his prepaid meter was changed to the indigent tariff.
In so doing, Adams could get free electricity tokens from the municipality, and then sold the tokens to various customers.
“Mistakes and follies have a way of catching up with people at the worst possible time. South Africa could go two ways from here, 30 years in our democracy. The government could change tack and aggressively eradicate corruption according to the people’s wishes expressed through the recent elections that produced coalition governments. Or it could risk crossing the invisible line between the gradual and the sudden. Its future hangs in an equal balance between democracy and implosion,” said Nyembezi.
Bergrivier municipality spokesperson, Matthew Sheldon, said they welcomed the sentencing.
“He resigned after being charged by the municipality. The judgment sends a clear and unequivocal message that Bergrivier municipality has a zero tolerance for fraud and corruption. We are satisfied with the outcome of the court proceedings and believe that justice has been served. This case demonstrates our commitment to protecting public funds and ensuring accountability within our administration.
“In addition to Mr. Adams imprisonment, he has forfeited his full retirement fund. These funds will be paid over to the Municipality as partial restitution for the financial losses incurred. It is our hope that this sends a strong message: There are severe consequences when engaging in fraudulent activities within the Municipality,” said Sheldon.
GOOD Party’s Bergrivier municipality councillor, Evert Manuel, said the sentence sends a clear message that no one is above the law.
“(We) welcome the confiscation of Adams’ pension fund, of course, we would have preferred for the full R1.3 million to be returned to the municipality. Municipal earnings should be used to serve the people of Bergrivier municipality.
“The fraudulent selling of prepaid electricity tokens is not just illegal but it is a disservice to the residents. Despite having retired in 2019, Adams was pursued by the Hawks, following an internal investigation, and eventually arrested in 2023. We commend the investigators for their pursuit of justice. It sends a clear message that no one is above the law,” said Manuel.