Cape Town – A 63-year-old man sentenced to 10 years in prison for fraudulently claiming more than R1 million for work that was never performed has been arrested after allegedly failing to surrender himself to authorities.
The man was arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), also known as the Hawks, in the Camps Bay CBD on Saturday night.
According to the Hawks, the arrest was carried out at about 21:00 on 12 September 2026 by the DPCI Western Cape Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team, assisted by the Camps Bay City Improvement District and Camps Bay SAPS.
The Hawks said an Evander Magistrates’ Court J76 Order of Apprehension was issued on 6 November 2025 after the accused failed to hand himself over to authorities to begin serving his sentence.
His appeal against the sentence was subsequently dismissed.
The accused was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment by the Evander Regional Court and was expected to surrender himself after his appeal was dismissed.
He instead remained at large, prompting authorities to issue the warrant for his arrest.
The man is currently detained at Camps Bay SAPS and is expected to appear before the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 14 September, where proceedings to facilitate his transfer to Mpumalanga will be initiated.
Mpumalanga Hawks Provincial Head Major General Nico Gerber welcomed the arrest and commended the investigation team and their Western Cape counterparts.
“The Hawks will continue to pursue fugitives who attempt to evade justice,” Gerber said.
“A conviction and sentence do not mark the end of an investigation. Those sentenced to imprisonment must account for their crimes and serve the sentences imposed by the courts,” he said.
The Hawks said the arrest ensures that the accused will be brought back to Mpumalanga to face the consequences of his conviction.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
