The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has been granted a preservation order to freeze property worth R2.7 million in eThekwini, linked to the COVID-19 relief fund fraud.
The Special Tribunal granted the order as part of the SIU’s ongoing probe into the R161 million stolen from the Unemployment Insurance Fund’s COVID-19 Temporary Relief Scheme.
The frozen property in Hillcrest, west of Durban, is linked to Ziqoqe Construction CC, which was paid R9.8 million between July 2020 and September 2024 in TERS benefits.
SIU spokesperson Selby Makgotho says the company owner allegedly made fraudulent claims for ghost employees.
He says the property was purchased in 2023 through suspected fraudulent transactions to benefit the owner, Ndabezinhle Luthuli.
“The SIU’s investigation found that Luthuli did not pay any of the alleged 673 employees and failed to refund the UIF. Many of the listed employees were found to be ghost employees and several individuals contacted by the SIU denied ever having worked for the company.”
VIDEO | Makgotho says there have been other properties that have been seized in Mpumalanga and North West linked to the COVID-19 UIF fraud:
– Report by Zanele Buthelezi
