A former Limpopo school teacher, Collen Lekgolane Mashweu has appeared before the Polokwane Specialised Commercial Crimes Court facing charges of fraud.
Mashweu, 62, pleaded guilty to 10 counts of fraud and contravention of the Public Service Act, and was sentenced to R100,000 fine or five years imprisonment.
The sentence is wholly suspended for five years, according to Warrant Officer Lethunya Mmuroa, Limpopo spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks.
“Between April 2010 and August 2012, Mashweu who was employed by the Limpopo Department of Education as a teacher acted in the capacity of a director of her company and rendered services to the Department of Education,” said Mmuroa.
“As a result, the department made payments amounting to over R556,000 without an authority or disclosing to do remunerative work outside of Public Service.”
The Hawks said Mashweu provided services of scholar transport through her private company.
The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) based in Polokwane received a proclamation for the investigations of serious maladministration in connection with the affairs within the Department of Education, following allegations of unlawful conduct by the officials of the Department of Education.
In 2023, Mmuroa said the matter was handed to the Polokwane-based Hawks' serious commercial investigation unit for further probe.
Mashweu was traced and summoned to appear in court.
“The case was well-handled until the accused pleaded guilty on 10 count of fraud, contravention of the Public Service Act, and was sentenced to R100,000 fine or five years direct imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years,” said Mmuroa.
Meanwhile, acting provincial head of the Hawks in Limpopo, Brigadier Desmond Alexander has lauded the “meritorious investigations” done by the Hawks and the SIU which resulted in the successful prosecution.
On Monday, IOL reported that another Limpopo teacher, Mmakolobe Mathar Ramashala, 45, pleaded guilty to charges of defrauding the provincial Department of Education of R918,000 when she appeared before the Polokwane Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.
Ramashala was sentenced to a R100,000 fine or five years imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years when she appeared in court on Friday.
IOL has established that Ramashala, while working as a teacher, also registered as a provider of scholar transport, which in law, required permission from her employer.
IOL