5 held over UIF theft

A two-month splurge of living large, buying cars and gifts, came to an end yesterday when the Hawks arrested five people in connection with the theft of R5,7m in Covid relief funds from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).

In a series of pre-dawn raids, detectives from the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crimes Unit swooped on houses in Mamelodi, Soshanguve and Atteridgeville.

They seized high-end cars, including a Range Rover Evoque, and other trappings of wealth they allege were paid for using the money stolen from the UIF.

Three men and two women, aged between 25 and 68, were taken into custody. They cannot be named until they have appeared before a court.

The Sunday Times previously exposed the botched R5.7m payment from the UIF to 25year-old paint factory worker Tshepang Phohole. The money was supposed to be paid to the labour broking firm he worked for, but the bank account details were allegedly changed in the application, with the money going into his private account.

Phohole’s bank balance soared from R12 to six figures overnight, and court documents reveal how he made a rash of payments to family members and friends.

The Hawks said the five will appear in the Pretoria commercial crimes court tomorrow.