Johannesburg: AfricUpdate – News Desk
The order was granted on 26 September 2025 by the High Court of South Africa, North West Division. Investigation by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation and Priority Crime Specialised Investigation revealed that between September 2023 and January 2024, the City of Matlosana Municipality paid a service provider, called Variegated (Pty) Ltd, over R6 million for services which were never rendered.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) and National Prosecuting Authority’s Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) secured a preservation order of R2,7 million linked to fraud, corruption and money laundering case involving the City of Matlosana Municipality Chief Financial Officer, Mercy Phetla and five others.
Further investigation uncovered that from the amount paid to Variegated by the municipality, over R4 million was transferred to a vehicle dealership for the purchase of three luxury vehicles: a Porsche valued at R2,3 million, Ranger Rover valued at R1 million and Maserati valued at R1,4 million.
The preservation order was granted on three luxury vehicles; a Mercedes Benz CLA200, Range Rover Evoque, and Maserati Levante S M156, which are valued at R2,7 million. Mercy Phetla, the City of Matlosana CFO, Tiisetso Sebetlela, the director of Variegated, Josephine Tsimane, the City of Matlosana Municipality Stores official, Anga Shongwe, Mathapelo Puswe and Vincent Shongwe, who are implicated in the matter, are expected to appear at the Specialised Commercial Crime Court sitting in Klerksdorp on 27 October 2025.
Brigadier Georgia Moos, the North West Acting Hawks Head, and the Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, Dr Rachel Makhari, have commended collaborative work between the two entities which resulted in securing of the preservation order.
