Kimberley – A 59-year-old man has pleaded guilty to multiple fraud and money laundering charges linked to fraudulent COVID-19 relief fund claims submitted during the national lockdown period.
Thabo Thobeli, who was a director of Botsho Botle CC, admitted in the Kimberley Serious Commercial Crimes Court on Monday, 25 May 2026, to 49 counts of fraud and 50 counts of money laundering.
According to the South African Police Service, the offences were committed between April and December 2020, when Thobeli’s company allegedly submitted fraudulent applications to the COVID-19 Temporary Employment Relief Fund administered by the Department of Labour.
Investigators allege that Thobeli forged payslips and falsely claimed that individuals were employed by his company in order to secure financial relief payments.
The Department of Labour subsequently disbursed funds to the company based on the submitted documents. However, authorities said the money never reached the intended beneficiaries, resulting in a loss of R145,000.
Thobeli made a brief appearance in court where he pleaded guilty to all charges. The matter has been postponed to 10 July 2026 for pre-sentencing and probation reports ahead of sentencing.
The Provincial Head of the Northern Cape Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation welcomed the conviction, saying: “Our commitment to properly investigate COVID-19 cases remains. Those who unduly benefited will face the full might of the law,” the statement said.
The case forms part of ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to clamp down on fraud linked to pandemic-era relief schemes.
Follow African Insider on Facebook, X and Instagram
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Betha Madhomu
