Emfuleni municipal worker arrested for extortion

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An Emfuleni municipal employee and accomplice were arrested on allegations of extortion in Sharpeville on Tuesday.

The said worker who is employed in the municipality’s water and sanitation department, Metsi-a-Lekoa is also a leader in one of the ANC branches in Sedibeng.

Gauteng Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said the two suspects, aged 39 and 51, were arrested following a tip-off about people involved in extortion in the Vaal area. 

“Information was received from the Modus Operandi Centre and operationalised with the assistance of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation’s Serious Corruption Investigation in Vaalrand, Sedibeng Infrastructure unit and Emfuleni Forensic Investigation unit.

“The multi-disciplinary team arranged an authorised meeting with the suspects during which money exchanged hands.

“Immediately after the transaction, the suspects were arrested and in their possession the trap money was recovered as well as in their vehicle,” she stated.

She added that the pair will remain in custody whilst the Hawks investigation continues.

The two suspects will appear in the Vereeniging magistrates court on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Moroadi Cholota made her first appearance in the Bloemfontein high court, Free State.

The 37-year-old former personal assistant of the then-Free State premier Ace Magashule is facing nine counts of corruption as well as fraud relating to the Asbestos Roofing Case.

Cholota was successfully extradited from the United States of America (USA) where she had been residing for almost five years.

National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson, Mojalefa Senokoatsane, said the accused’s extradition judgement was delivered by USA courts on July 31.

He added that after a prolonged time, she arrived in South Africa on Thursday, August 8, and was immediately processed by the DPCI.

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“During Cholota’s first appearance in the high court, through her legal representative she indicated that she needed additional time, to be able to study the contents of the docket before the pre-trial conference and the trial.

“The defence had initially requested that the matter be remanded to November 2024,” Senokoatsane remarked.

The matter has been postponed to October 16 for pre-trial conference in the high court in Bloemfontein.