North West Government Director Faces Court On 45 Fraud Charges

Mmapitsi Virginia Seate, a 51-year-old deputy director at the North West  (NW) Department of Public Works and Roads, appeared in the Mmabatho Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 13 November 2024, to face 45 counts of fraud.

Seate’s arrest, executed earlier in the day by the Mahikeng-based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation unit, stems from allegations of fraudulent activities related to the submission of travel claims. The Public Service Commission (PSC) reported these allegations to the Hawks.

Charges Against North West Director

From February 2023 to November 2023, while serving as deputy director at the NW Department of Human Settlements, Seate allegedly filed fraudulent claims for official trips to various destinations in North West and Gauteng. These claims resulted in the department disbursing over R119,000 to Seate.

Investigations revealed that Seate did not travel to the destinations listed in her claims. Instead, evidence showed that her private vehicle remained in Mahikeng on the dates she purportedly travelled.

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Seate made a brief court appearance and was released on R5,000 bail. Her case has been postponed to 2 December 2024.

Brigadier Silas Munzhedzi, Acting Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, and Dr Rachel Makhari, Director of Public Prosecutions in North West, have expressed their support for the arrest and court appearance of Seate. They emphasized their commitment to enhancing cooperation and ensuring that government officials who engage in fraudulent acts.

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