Four Ngqushwa Municipal officials stole over R273 000 from Ngqushwa Local Municipality.
The funds were meant for a Christmas party for the elderly community in Peddie, Eastern Cape.
On 3 October 2025, the East London Regional Court sentenced four former Ngqushwa Local Municipal officials for fraud and contravening the Municipal Financial Management Act.
The group included former municipal manager Misiwe Phyllis Mpahlwa (54), acting CFO Tinus Matthysen (66), corporate services director Mkhuseli Wiseman Mxekezo (49), and the mayor’s secretary Busisiwe Mfunda (37).
NGQUSHWA MUNICIPALITY CORRUPTION DENIED THE ELDERLY A CELEBRATION
Investigations revealed that Mfunda initiated the fraud by sourcing quotations from fictitious service providers. She bypassed supply chain rules for personal gain.
Mpahlwa, the municipal manager, authorised the unlawful payments. Thereafter, Mxekezo signed the irregular expenditure, while Matthysen approved payments even while on leave.
These actions left the elderly residents of Peddie without the annual Christmas programme they had been promised.
PEDDIE ELDERLY CHRISTMAS PARTY FRAUD UNCOVERED
Auditors discovered discrepancies during a review and referred the matter to the Hawks.
The Hawks arrested the officials in 2021 and released them shortly after on R1000 bail each.
COURT RULES ON CORRUPTION IMPACT
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana stated that after several court appearances, the East London Regional Court sentenced each accused to three years in prison or a R120 000 fine.
