Cape Town - Matzikama deputy mayor, Amelia Job, faces a fraud charge after she allegedly lied about her father’s death to have personal debt written off.
According to information shared with the Cape Times, Job and other senior municipality officials allegedly wrote off the debt, estimated to be more than R20 000 so that Job could transfer a property to her name.
“Vredendal SAPS is investigating a case of fraud based on allegations that the suspect in this matter applied from the local municipality that her father’s debt be written off during 2018 as she alleged that he had died. However this was not the case as it was discovered during 2019 that he was still alive.
Eventually the father passed on during August 2021.
“The case was reported on December 8 2022. The case is still in an early stage of investigation.
“No arrest has been made yet,” said police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie.
ANC chief whip Johan Muller said a criminal case was registered against Job and the officials who were involved in the alleged fraudulent transactions to have debt written off.
“On Thursday, December 8, 2022, a case of fraud was registered at the Vredendal SAPS.
“The case was opened against very senior executive members of the Matzikama Mayoral Committee.
“The case pertains to a member that lied about the death of her father in order to have outstanding debts written off in 2018. The father in question was very much alive and only passed away in 2021.
“The debt was reversed in 2019 after internal pressure from staff and the community. We hereby call for the immediate arrest of all involved. We call for the MEC to act immediately,” said Johan.
Job and the Matzikama municipality did not respond to questions by deadline.
The municipality is made of towns such as Vredendal, Vanrhynsdorp, Klawer and Lutzville.
Cape Times