SANDF RESERVE FORCE MEMBERS APPEAR IN COURT FOR ALLEGEDLY PAYING GHOST WORKERS
A South African Defense Force (SANDF), reserve force member Thandile Ndevu (33), a current SANDF Human Recourse (HR) clerk, Khanya Ndevu (29), Avuyile Ndzuta (30), Thembisile Dlamini (36), Thozamile Herbert Loni (45) and Yonelisa Gova (33) appeared at the Pretoria Commercial Crimes’ Court facing a total of 53 charges collectively for defrauding SANDF money worth R1.1 million.
Thandile, Khanya and Avuyile are cousins, while Dlamini and Loni are married and Gova is said to be friends with Thandile.
Thandile is facing 53 counts of fraud or theft and 53 counts of money laundering, Khanya and Dlamini are each facing 11 counts of fraud or theft and 11 counts of money laundering, Ndzuta is facing 10 counts of fraud or theft, and 10 counts of money laundering, Gova is facing 21 counts fraud or theft and 21 counts of money laundering.
Between July 2018 and July 2019, it is alleged that Thandile Ndevu who is a reserve force member under the HR unit with responsibility that included calling reserve force employees for service, capturing on the system the ‘On Strength’ reserve force members who report for duty as well as capturing their banking details on the system.
During this period, while performing her duties, it is alleged that Thandile Ndevu captured on the system details of SANDF reserve force members as though they were called up (reported for duty) and replaced their banking details with those of her co-accused persons where the payment for service was made.
This was discovered after one of the complainants in the matters whose details was used went to do her tax filing at South African Revenue Service (SARS) and discovered that she had two IRP5 forms she needed to submit instead of the one she had brought. The complainant allegedly went back to SANDF to enquire when the other four ghost workers were discovered.
The complainants then reported the matter to the Pretoria Central police station and the matter was then transferred to the military police for investigation. After the investigations by the military police the 6 accused persons were summoned through J175 summons.
In court the matter was postponed to 15 August 2025 for plea and trial.
