Former Municipal Manager Jailed for Fraud in North West

The former Municipal Manager of Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality, Advocate Abbey Dlavane, has been sentenced to five years of direct imprisonment following his conviction on charges of theft and contravening the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA).

Dlavane (61) was sentenced by the Klerksdorp Magistrates Court on Friday after a protracted legal process that revealed how he orchestrated a fraudulent transaction during his tenure between January 2009 and March 2020.

According to court findings, Dlavane instructed a credit controller to issue a cheque worth R550,000 to a company named Kumekucha Investment for services that were never rendered to the municipality. Subsequent investigations by the Hawks revealed that Dlavane was the sole member of Kumekucha Investment, effectively channeling public funds into his personal business.

The court handed down a five-year sentence for theft and a further three-year sentence for violating Section 173 of the MFMA, which was wholly suspended for five years.

The case has sparked renewed calls for accountability and transparency in local government, particularly in the management of public resources.

Welcoming the sentence, the Moral Regeneration Movement (MRM) in the North West described the outcome as a significant victory in the fight against fraud and corruption.

Convenor of the MRM North West Interim Committee, Pastor Lesiba Kgwele, praised the Hawks’ Serious & Commercial Crime Investigation Directorate and the National Prosecuting Authority for securing a successful conviction. He also called for asset forfeiture proceedings to follow in order to recover the stolen funds.

“This should serve as a deterrent and send an unequivocal message that officials entrusted with public resources will be held responsible for succumbing to greed and corruption,” said Kgwele. “Their actions are a betrayal of the trust of communities yearning for improved service delivery.”

Pastor Kgwele further emphasized the importance of rolling out the Local Government Ethical Leadership Initiative (LGELI) Code, developed through MRM’s collaboration with SALGA, the Ethics Institute, and the SIU. He said it will help bolster ethical leadership and accountability in municipalities.

He expressed confidence that the recent Memorandum of Agreement signed between MRM and SALGA during its Annual Assembly in Limpopo will strengthen partnerships between civil society and local municipalities, intensifying the battle against corruption and fostering values-driven communities.