Two Senior Emalahleni Councillors Arrested For Alleged R500,000 Bribery Scheme

Two senior councillors from the Emalahleni Local Municipality have been arrested for allegedly accepting bribes.

The bribe of a R500,000 was part of  demand in a lease extension corruption case.

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The arrest was made by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team at Witbank Dam on Wednesday, April 16.

Councillors Caught with R20,000 Cash Bribe

According to Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi, the councillors, aged 54 and 55, were caught red-handed after allegedly accepting a R20,000 cash bribe from a local businessperson.

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The money was reportedly part of a total R500,000 demanded to secure the extension of a municipal lease agreement.

Investigations reveal that an initial R40,000 was paid to the councillors in February 2025.

Both payments were allegedly split equally between the suspects.

The R20,000 received this week was recovered by authorities, and two luxury vehicles believed to have been used during the commission of the crime were seized.

Court Appearance Set for April 17

The accused are expected to appear before the Emalahleni Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, April 17, to face corruption-related charges.

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Their arrest is part of an ongoing crackdown on municipal corruption and irregular dealings involving public officials and private businesses.

The broader investigation into the R500,000 bribery scheme is still underway, and further arrests have not been ruled out.

Fight Against Corruption

Provincial Head of the Hawks, Major General Nico Gerber, commended the swift action by the Middelburg-based Serious Corruption Investigation team.

“We will at no stage allow people, regardless of their positions, to enrich themselves at the expense of the community,” said Gerber.

“Honest business people are forced to pay bribes just to contribute to job creation and employment.

“Officials who should be driving economic growth are abusing their positions for personal gain,” he added.

The Hawks reaffirmed their commitment to eradicating corruption in all forms and emphasized that this arrest should serve as a stern warning to public officials who exploit their positions for personal enrichment.

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