FORMER MUNICIPAL MANAGER AND SERVICE PROVIDER ARRESTED FOR FRAUD INVOLVING PHUTHADITJHABA TRANSFORMERS

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By: Neo Ntsele

Detectives from the Hawks' Serious Commercial Crime Investigation have arrested Futhulu Patrick Mothamaha (52), the former municipal manager of Maluti-A-Phofung Local Municipality, and Lelokonyane Isak Letseng (45), director of Lesedi Khanya Energy, on charges of alleged fraud, theft, money laundering, and violation of the Municipal Finance Management Act concerning electricity transformers.

The arrests were made on a warrant on Tuesday, the 18th.

They appeared in the Bethlehem Magistrates Court yesterday (Wednesday), where each was granted bail of R10,000.

In 2021, the company received a tender valued at R1.9 million to install transformers in Maluti-A-Phofung.

However, the transformers were never delivered.

It was later discovered that Letseng had submitted an invoice for R1.9 million, which Mothamaha authorised.

The municipality processed the payment, resulting in a financial loss.

The case was postponed to 22 January 2026.