JOHANNESBURG – The mayor of the Sekhukhune District Municipality, Julia Mathebe, has been arrested by the Hawks in connection with the VBS Bank heist.
Mathebe is appearing in the Pretoria Magistrates Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday, alongside the former municipal manager of the Elias Motsoaledi Municipality.
Hawks spokesperson, Colonel Katlego Mogale, said that the two were charged with multiple counts of contravening the Municipal Finance Management Act.
Mogale said that the municipal manager was allegedly instrumental in the municipality investing over R190 million into the now-defunct VBS Mutual Bank.
She said that the mayor allegedly received kickbacks in the form of R300,000 in cash, accommodation and flight tickets.
She said that the kickbacks were channeled through a company belonging to the mayor’s children.