Murder of Ekurhuleni auditor tied to probe into R2b electricity billing scandal
Image: Facebook
The murder of Mpho Mafole, the group divisional head for corporate and forensic audits at the City of Ekurhuleni municipality, has sent shockwaves through the city.
Mafole was found in a pool of blood after he was sprayed with bullets on the R23 in Kempton Park on Monday, June 30.
Sources close to the municipality believe that Mafole's death was a hit, linked to his investigation into a massive R2 billion electricity scandal he was close to uncovering.
According to a senior member of the municipality, Mafole, just months after joining the city, and his team were probing a massive electricity billing scandal that cost Ekurhuleni tax payers over R2 billion.
The scandal involved tampered electricity accounts, with some accounts paying drastically reduced rates for electricity, while others were absent from the system, evidently showing that the municipality was being short-changed.
The senior official of the municipality, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisals, said Mafole was close to blowing the lid off the electricity bill scandal that had cost the municipality billions.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Next
Stay
Close ✕
Ad loading
'Even the mayor (Nkosindipinde Xhakaza) is aware of the matter and is getting to the bottom of it…We are hoping that those that were close to the investigation are kept safe because this has to eventually come out…especially after the death of one of us,' the source said.
During a sombre funeral on Sunday, City of Ekurhuleni Mayor Xhakaza suggested that there was a link between Mafole's murder and the municipality's financial scandals.
"It is such things that auditors like Mpho would help us determine, where the funds went when I have to account as the mayor," Xhakaza said.
"The city and country have lost a man of integrity. We will continue to fight and make sure justice is served,' he said.
Earlier in the week Xhakaza also revealed that Mafole had drafted a charge sheet for a suspended official, believed to be part of a criminal syndicate.
Speaking at the funeral of slain forensic auditor Mpho Mafole on Sunday, Nkosindiphile Xhakaza delivered an emotional but forceful address, condemning what he described as a deepening climate of fear targeting civil servants confronting corruption.
Image: Supplied
"It's one thing to prepare a charge sheet for suspended officials and once you submit it, something happens," Xhakaza said.
"We don't want to draw up linkages, but if you are involved in this type of work and you get shot, it can't be a random thing".
Mafole's family believes that his murder was directly tied to his investigation into municipal corruption.
"We knew Mpho was working on something big," said a relative.
"He was getting close to exposing corruption in the municipality. The people who killed him knew what they were doing, they were clearly experts".
Xhakaza, last week, wrote to National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola to investigate a series of shootings involving senior Ekurhuleni municipal officials.
Mafole's tragic death comes four years after whistle-blower Babita Deokaran was gunned down outside her home in Gauteng.
Six 'hitmen' have since been sentenced, however, the 'masterminds' behind the hit are still believed to be at large.
Deokaran, who was 53 when she died, was the chief director of financial accounting at the Gauteng Department of Health and was killed on August 23, 2021.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
eNCA
an hour ago
- eNCA
Axe falls on several MECs in Mpumalanga
JOHANNESBURG - Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu has reshuffled his provincial executive. Cathy Dlamini and Makhosazane Masilela have been fired from their positions as Education and Economic Development and Tourism MECs, respectively. Head of Department for Sports, Culture and Recreation, Godfrey Ntombela, has also been axed. Lindi Masina and Jesta Sidell have been appointed the new MECs for Education and Economic Development, respectively. Dlamini was embroiled in a laptop tender scandal when the provincial education department spent over R2-million for 22 new machines.
eNCA
3 hours ago
- eNCA
eNCA journalists reflect on chaos, looting & reporting from the frontlines
The July Unrest occurred in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, from 9 to 18 July 2021. The protests were sparked by the arrest and incarceration of former President Jacob Zuma. The protests quickly escalated resulting in looting, rioting, rise in racial tensions, damage to property, violence and the deaths of more than 350 people. It is estimated that the July unrest also caused more than R50 billion in damage to the South African economy. eNCA Senior Reporter Dasen Thathiah and eNCA Camera Operator Nkanyiso Mdlalose were there, reporting from the frontlines. In the video below, they both reflect on the life-changing experience four years on. A Reporter's Reflection of The July 2021 Unrest – Four Years On By Dasen Thathiah The term "unrest" is such a misnomer. Sure, for anyone who wasn't there, it works. A public disturbance? Riots? Maybe a failed insurrection? For those of us who lived through it - on the frontlines - it was a catastrophic nightmare. The first eight days overflowed with anxiety, fear, sadness, anger, trepidation. The recipe for a lifetime of unspoken trauma. The province that raised us was set alight. Its infrastructure abused, the fragile economy gang-raped. People who lived alongside me mutated into savages. Others became statistics, no longer referred to by name, but only as a collective. "More than 350 died," we say. Yet the ones who orchestrated it are most likely still alive and well. But we don't just grieve for the departed. We mourn the jobs lost, the livelihoods shattered, the businesses buried. About ten percent of the murders took place in a north Durban township. The nature of the violence birthed the term "Phoenix Massacre." Its impact pushed race relations decades back. A minority of barbarians in a usually warm, close-knit community turned on their long-time neighbours in the most brutal way. Both "sides" paid with their loved ones, casualties of a racial war. This wasn't just a story to us. It was our lived experience. We saw the bodies strewn across the roadway. We know the helplessness of not being able to save the ones taking their last breaths. We felt the racism directed at us. And propagandists capitalised on the confusion that reigned. People who look like me wanted someone to blame for the backlash stemming from the actions of a small group of racist murderers. So, one propagandist offered me to them as a virtual sacrifice on Facebook. It worked. I was labelled a traitor, threatened, ostracised, blamed and even became the subject of a campaign led by some to get me fired. Just for telling the truth; for standing up when it was easier to sit down. A few days later, another propagandist on Twitter (X) doctored a video clip to create a new narrative. "Journalist by day, vigilante killing black people at night," they said. So, while the city burned around me, I had my own fires to extinguish. Fake news threatened to reduce my career to ashes. I was fortunate to navigate this space with a colleague who I regard as a dear friend; a brother. Together, Nkanyiso and I - a pair that had seen the ugliest side of people during the unrest - helped each other stay true to our beliefs. Armed with an eNCA camera and a microphone, we showed you not just the bad, but the inspirational. We listened as the voices of good South Africans grew loud enough to eventually overpower the evil ones. We introduced you to the community heroes, who outnumbered the racist vigilantes. We held the government to account for its failures. Simply put, we followed the truth even when the path was deserted. Four years later, we reflect on an unbelievable time that should never be forgotten. It should serve as a reminder of exactly what we are not as South Africans.
The Citizen
5 hours ago
- The Citizen
Mpumalanga premier fires 2 MECs and an HOD
Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu reshuffled his Cabinet today, firing two MECs and terminating the contract of a senior departmental head with immediate effect. According to Mpumalanga News, Ndlovu removed MEC for Education Cathy Dlamini and MEC for Economic Development and Tourism Makhosazane Masilela. He also announced the termination of Godfrey Ntombela's contract as Head of the Department of Culture, Sports and Recreation. Former Ehlanzeni Executive Mayor Jesta Sidell was appointed as the new MEC for Economic Development and Tourism, while Provincial Legislature Speaker Lindi Masina was named the new MEC for Education. Both were sworn in by Deputy Judge President Takalani Vincent Ratshibvumo and will assume their duties immediately. 'The removal of Dlamini and Masilela comes after the provincial government had made several assessments across the departments and realised we needed to make certain changes. This is aimed at strengthening the work of government to address service delivery as well as a number of other challenges that impede us from reaching the targets set for this administration,' Ndlovu said. On Ntombela's termination, Ndlovu said: 'It has also come to my attention that fraud has been committed, whereby former Premier Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane's electronic signature was used for the extension of Ntombela's contract. There is also an alleged payment of R80 000, exchanged for the misuse of the former premier's electronic signature. This matter is viewed in a very serious light. As a result I have consulted the acting provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Dr Zeph Mkhwanazi, to investigate the matter.' Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
