The Nama-Khoi Local Municipality manager accused of fraud and violating Financial Management Act allegations has been granted bail in the Calvinia Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, March 27.
This follows the arrest of the currently serving Nama-Khoi municipality manager, Jan Izak Swarts (63), by the Northern Cape provincial Hawks Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team in Springbok in the morning.
The municipality spokesperson, Jason Milford, confirmed the arrest.
Milford declined to comment on the matter pending the ongoing investigation.
Hawks spokesperson, Nomthandazo Mnisi said that it was alleged that between 2019 and 2020, the Hantam Local Municipality has been reported to have financially suffered more than R33 000. This happened to be the period when Swart was serving as the manager.
“Swartz received a monthly subsidy for two official cell phones whereas the municipality was also paying for the billing to the service provider, which was contrary to the package he had with the municipality,” said Mnisi.
Adding, “The suspect is alleged to have ordered two loads of gravel belonging to the municipality to be delivered to his residence for personal benefit. The actual prejudice suffered by the municipality in this regard is R1003 00”, she said.
Namakwa District Municipality mayor, Mervin Cloete, condemned the misuse of public funds by government officials.
“We are committed to clean governance if any government employee contravenes FMA, and we welcome any arrests,” he said.
Namakwa District African National Congress (ANC) spokesperson, Bertie Saal, shared the same sentiment with Cloete and urged senior management to cooperate with law enforcement.
Swartz has been released on R5000 bail and the case has been postponed to May 13 for Commercial Crimes Court.
