Three suspects have been arrested in Pretoria for their alleged involvement in a Covid-19 Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) fraud worth more than R13 million.
The suspects — Andiswa Jessica Tapu, 40, Yolanda Nombuso Mgobo, 32, and Sipho Sokhela, 31 — appeared before the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Thursday.
Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Granville Meyer said the trio were arrested by the Hawks’ Vaalrand Serious Corruption Crimes Investigation team following a lengthy investigation and the issuing of J50 warrants.
Meyer said the suspects were allegedly part of a syndicate that defrauded the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) of R13,079,462.39.
The investigation revealed that the director of a company allegedly exploited the online Siyaya system used to process emergency TERS relief applications.
She allegedly submitted an application claiming relief for 56 employees before deliberately inflating the number to 1,198 ghost employees.
As a result, more than R13 million was allegedly paid into the company’s bank account.
Meyer said the investigation further established that the other two suspects allegedly played an active role in the scheme by opening bank accounts used to receive, launder and distribute the proceeds.
The trio face 40 counts of theft, 40 counts of fraud, money laundering and a charge of contravening Section 5 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act 121 of 1998.
The suspects were each released on R10,000 bail and are expected back in court on 3 December 2026.
