A former Department of Rural Development and Land Reform official has been arrested in connection with an alleged R1.35 million fraud involving funds intended to support a community land restitution project in Mpumalanga.
Mpumalanga Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi said Grace Mokoka, 50, a former Deputy Director of Finance at the department, was arrested after a warrant of arrest was issued against her in connection with a case registered in Nelspruit in 2018.
Mokoka faces charges of fraud, theft, corruption in terms of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act (PRECCA), and money laundering in terms of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA).
Nkosi said the investigation, conducted by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation, stemmed from a land restitution project involving the Ingogo Communal Property Association (CPA), which successfully lodged a land claim in 2018.
Following the restoration of the land to the community, the CPA sought assistance from the department to acquire farming and firefighting equipment.
It is alleged that the project was exploited through a fraudulent scheme in which an invoice was submitted by MPG Mash Trading (Pty) Ltd for services that were never rendered.
Mokoka, who was employed as Deputy Director of Finance at the time, allegedly irregularly approved a payment of R1,358,440 to the company without services being rendered and without following the required procurement processes.
The investigation further revealed that the company’s director, Mduduzi Mashwama, allegedly submitted the invoice after being approached by Sikhumbuzo Nkosi, who had been appointed as project manager by Godfrey Mchunu, a departmental project officer.
Mchunu and Nkosi were arrested in connection with the matter in 2025.
Mashwama has also been charged in his personal capacity and as a representative of the company.
Nkosi and Mokoka were previously sentenced to 10 years’ direct imprisonment in separate but similar matters. They were both released on parole when they were arrested in this case.
Mokoka appeared before the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, where she was granted R1,000 bail.
The matter was postponed to 26 October 2026, when she will join her co-accused, who were also released on R1,000 bail each.
