Latest news with #R6.3
IOL News
20-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
News you should know tonight: Top 5 stories you may have missed on May 20, 2025
In a significant development on the diplomatic front, Johann Rupert, South Africa's wealthiest man, is reportedly in Washington, DC, potentially accompanying President Cyril Ramaphosa for a pivotal meeting with US President Donald Trump. Good evening, IOL News family! It's Tuesday, May 20, 2025 and it's time for a wrap of the biggest headlines making waves in South Africa and beyond. Don't forget to join the IOL WhatsApp Channel to stay in tune, informed and in the know. Calls mount for progressive budget as Godongwana prepares for budget speech As Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana prepares to deliver the national budget on Wednesday, there is growing pressure for a fiscal plan that prioritises economic growth, job creation, and strengthening of social support systems. To read on, click here. Cape Town mayor urges protection of municipal funding amid budget cuts backlash Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has urged Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to protect municipalities from further budget cuts during his upcoming National Budget speech. To read on, click here. Former Global Strike Security employees released on R30,000 bail following R6.3 million fraud allegations Three Global Strike Security Company employees arrested for allegedly defrauding Anglo American Platinum of R6.3 million have been granted bail of R30,000 each. To read on, click here. Severe weather warning: Localised flooding hits Cape Town Parts of Cape Town experienced localised flooding on Tuesday morning as heavy downpours swept across the Western Cape, prompting the City's Disaster Risk Management teams into action. To read on, click here. Johann Rupert pulls the strings in Ramaphosa-Trump White House meeting In a significant development on the diplomatic front, Johann Rupert, South Africa's wealthiest man, is reportedly in Washington, DC, potentially accompanying President Cyril Ramaphosa for a pivotal meeting with US President Donald Trump. To read on, click here. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. IOL News
IOL News
20-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
UPDATE: Former Global Strike Security employees released on R30,000 bail following R6. 3million fraud allegations
Wanda van Zyl, 57, former director of Global Strike Security, appears in court alongside former payroll administrators Ruan van Zyl, 23, and Monidue Nel, 52, who were arrested after for allegedly defrauding Anglo American Platinum of R6.3 million through fraudulent invoices has been released on bail. Three Global Strike Security Company employees arrested for allegedly defrauding Anglo American Platinum of R6.3 million have been granted bail of R30,000 each. Former Director Wanda van Zyl, 57, and two payroll administrators, Monidue Nel, 52, and Ruan van Zyl, 23, were nabbed by the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (known as the Hawks) The trio appeared briefly in the Mahwelereng Magistrate's Court on May 19, facing 26 counts of fraud. 'The accused were granted bail of R30 000 each,' Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Lethunya Mmuroa said. The case was postponed to June 13, 2025, for further police investigation. The trio is accused of submitting fraudulent invoices between December 20, 2018, and September 20, 2021. Explaining the case, Mmuroa said the trio allegedly submitted fraudulent invoices and claimed funds to Anglo-American Platinum for security services that were never rendered. Anglo American Platinum reportedly grew suspicious and launched an internal forensic investigation. The investigation uncovered more than 33 fraudulent claims that had already been paid. 'As a result, Anglo-American Platinum suffered a loss of over R6.3 million,' Mmuroa said. The matter was reported to the Mahwelereng police station and later transferred to the Hawks for further investigation. Mmuroa confirmed that four individuals from Global Strike Security were linked to the scheme, three of whom have now been arrested, while the fourth has since died. The case was referred to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), which authorised warrants of arrest. The suspects reportedly cooperated and handed themselves over to the Hawks. IOL News
The Citizen
20-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Limpopo trio arrested for R6.3m Anglo-American Platinum fraud
MOKOPANE – The Hawks' Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit has arrested a former company director and two ex-payroll administrators for alleged fraud amounting to R6.3 million. The three accused, Monique Nel (52; payroll administrator), Ruan van Zyl (23; payroll administrator) and Wanda van Zyl (57; director), all former employees of the Global Strike Security Company, were arrested on Sunday (May 19) after they handed themselves over to the police. According to the provincial Hawks spokesperson, Warrant Officer Lethunya Mmuroa, the accused allegedly submitted over 33 fraudulent invoices to Anglo-American Platinum for security services that were never rendered between December 20, 2018 and September 20, 2021. Mmuroa said payments were processed before the company uncovered the scheme. 'Anglo-American Platinum got suspicious and conducted internal forensic investigations which revealed a loss of R6.3 million. The matter was reported to the Mahwelereng police station and subsequently handed over to the Hawks' Polokwane-based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit for further investigation,' he said. A thorough investigation successfully linked four individuals from the security firm to the committed crime, though one of the implicated individuals has since died. Following the completion of the investigation, the case was handed to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), which authorised warrants of arrest. 'The accused briefly appeared in the Mahwelereng Magistrate's Court yesterday facing 26 counts of fraud. The case was postponed to today for a bail application,' he said. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
20-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
R6. 3 million Security Scam: Global Strike employees busted for defrauding Anglo American Platinum
Wanda van Zyl, 57, former director of Global Strike Security, appears in court alongside former payroll administrators Ruan van Zyl, 23, and Monidue Nel, 52, after their arrest for allegedly defrauding Anglo American Platinum of R6.3 million through fraudulent invoices. Image: Supplied Three Global Strike Security Company employees have been arrested for allegedly defrauding Anglo American Platinum of R6.3 million. Former Director Wanda van Zyl, 57, and two payroll administrators, Monidue Nel, 52, and Ruan van Zyl, 23, were nabbed by the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (known as the Hawks). The trio who were arrested on Monday, May 19, 2025, are accused of submitting fraudulent invoices between December 20, 2018, and September 20, 2021. Explaining the case, Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Lethunya Mmuroa said the trio allegedly submitted fraudulent invoices and claimed funds to Anglo-American Platinum for security services that were not rendered. Anglo American Platinum reportedly grew suspicious and launched an internal forensic investigation. The investigation uncovered more than 33 fraudulent claims that had already been paid. 'As a result, Anglo-American Platinum suffered a loss of over R6.3 million,' Mmuroa said. The matter was reported to the Mahwelereng police station and later transferred to the Hawks for further investigation. Mmuroa confirmed that four individuals from Global Strike Security were linked to the scheme, three of whom have now been arrested, while the fourth has since died. The case was referred to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), which authorised warrants of arrest. 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 ✕ The suspects reportedly cooperated and handed themselves over to the Hawks. The trio appeared briefly in the Mahwelereng Magistrate's Court on May 19, facing 26 counts of fraud. The matter was postponed to May 20, 2025, for a formal bail application. In a separate story, IOL News previously reported that the Specialised Commercial Crime Court in Polokwane has sentenced Serage Martin Lubenga (28) and Rhoda Mirembe (33) to 15 years in prison each for defrauding a Limpopo woman of R650,000 in a dating scam Lubenga befriended the 39-year-old victim in 2023, later introducing her to Mirembe, who posed as a prophet named "Alice." Mirembe convinced the woman that she would receive R4 million if she paid 10% upfront. The victim handed over R650,000 and provided personal documents under the pretense of prayers for financial promotion. The Hawks arrested the pair in Potchefstroom after uncovering the scam. They found that the victim's details had been used to rent luxury properties, and four high-end vehicles, including a Range Rover and BMW X6, were seized. Lubenga and Mirembe pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud and one of corruption. The court sentenced them to 10 years for the first fraud charge, five for the second, and five for corruption, with the first two sentences running concurrently. They will serve an effective 15 years and are now also barred from owning firearms. IOL News
IOL News
12-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Potential new jobs are at risk in the solar industry
In the past year, R6.3 billion-worth of solar panels were imported. Image: Armand Hough/Independent Newspapers The threat of additional import taxes on renewable energy products brought into South Africa is putting potential new jobs at risk, said Donald MacKay, founder and chief executive of XA Global Trade Advisors. Speaking during a webinar on Friday morning, MacKay warned that tariffs proposed by the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (ITAC) could put 53 solar panel traders at risk. In the past year, R6.3 billion-worth of solar panels were imported, said MacKay. He explained that R344 million was saved through tariff rebates on the value of these panels. ITAC, MacKay said, recently published a gazette in which 'they said they are looking at the renewable energy value chain with a view to potentially adding some more protection in that value chain'. In terms of the Renewable Energy Master Plan, government wants to have local content for solar panels increased to 50% from 45%, with local content provision on storage such as batteries increasing from 20% to 60%," MacKay explained. The Master Plan stated that localising the manufacturing of key components such as solar panels, inverters, wind turbine towers, cables, and batteries could result in more than 25 000 new direct jobs being created by 2030 and it would add billions to gross domestic product. 'If you decide you're going to increase the local content for a particular product, the cost of that product typically rises,' said MacKay. MacKay said the question is whether protecting the local manufacturing industry through additional tariffs will result in the creation of more jobs than what may well be lost. With additional tariffs in place, the cost to assemble will go up, which will disincentivise the sector. 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 ✕ Through adding tariffs, 'you are creating a very small number of jobs for a very high cost per job,' MacKay told IOL. IOL
