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UIF relief fund fraud case against director of a Limpopo firm postponed

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A director of a company arrested by the Hawks for allegedly defrauding the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) relief fund of more than R3 million has appeared in the Malamulele Magistrate’s Court.

Dorris Mashimbye allegedly claimed funds on behalf of 242 former Expanded Public Works Programme workers, but never paid the money over to them.

During her first court appearance, Mashimbye looked calm. She is facing charges of fraud, theft, and money laundering.

She has been charged together with her company, Mtititi Drop-In Centre.  She allegedly claimed UIF relief funds for EPWP workers. The affected workers, whose duties included cleaning the streets, school premises, and graveyards, say they did not receive any relief funds during the national lockdown.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhanghi says the accused made claims amounting to more than R3 million.

“Hlamalani Dorris Mashimbye of Jilongo Malamulele appeared in the Malamulele Magistrate’s Court today in connection with a charge of fraud, theft and money laundering worth more than R3  million.  It is alleged that Mashimbye claimed the money on behalf of employees however the employees never benefited from the funds.  The matter was postponed to the 19th of October for formal bail application.”

The former EPWP workers say they have seen proof from the Employment and Labour Department that the relief funds were paid to their employer.

They also say when they approached her about the funds, she avoided them.

In a related story, other workers who struggled to get their UIF monies took to the streets to voice their frustrations: 

Meanwhile, the Employment and Labour Department has promised to appoint a team of auditors to look into cases such as this one, throughout the country.

The UIF also recently introduced measures to deal with fraud:

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