BUSINESS ENTITY AND ITS DIRECTOR IN THE DOCK FOR FRAUD

Photo: Itumeleng Metsing

Supplied

By: Neo Ntsele

The company director Itumeleng Metsing 41, and his company Kgomo ya Maphura General Trading (KYMGT) appeared before the Bloemfontein Magistrates' Court on allegations of fraud, on Thursday 6.

It is reported that during the period between 27 March 2020 until 30 April 2020, the KYMGT represented by Metsing made an application for Covid-19 Temporary Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) with the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) on behalf of its purported employees, which was approved by the UIF.

KYMGT received the TERS benefits on behalf of four individuals to the total amount of R16109.80 on 27 August 2020 and 25 November 2020.

Internal investigation proved that none from the four individuals were employed by KYMGT and they never received any TERS money from the UIF.

As a result the Department of Employment and Labour was prejudiced and suffered a loss of R16109.80.

A case docket was registered and referred to the Hawks Serious Commercial Crime Investigation for a further probe resulting on the arrest of the duo.

The court released Metsing and his company on warning and the matter was postponed to 6 March 2025 for transfer to the Regional Court.