Former Emfuleni Local Municipality service provider Janitha van Reenen has been arrested again, shortly after appearing in court in a separate fraud matter involving the same municipality.
Van Reenen, 25, was arrested on Thursday morning after appearing in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court for another case in which she is also accused of defrauding the municipality. Her latest arrest relates to an alleged R9.9 million fraud and illegal electricity connection syndicate, which authorities believe she helped mastermind.
The arrest means Van Reenen will now join seven other accused who were previously arrested in connection with the alleged scheme. They are David Senekal, 31, Caroline Smangele Maduna, 39, Kenneth Zongezile Mahobe, 35, Hlawutelo Baloyi, 29, Pule Meshack Masilo, 36, Andries Bafana Maduna, 48, and Sibusiso Patrick Tshabalala, 46.
The group includes Emfuleni officials and subcontractors working for the municipality. They appeared in court this week to apply for bail and are expected back in the dock next week to continue their applications.
Van Reenen’s arrest came only days after she was released on R10 000 bail in her other fraud matter. She had successfully petitioned the Gauteng High Court after the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court denied her bail three times.
In the latest case, Van Reenen and her co-accused face charges of fraud, theft, tampering with essential infrastructure and money laundering. They are accused of damaging essential infrastructure and illegally reconnecting electricity supplies for clients in exchange for payment.
According to the allegations, the scheme targeted businesses and individuals whose municipal accounts were in arrears and whose electricity had been disconnected by the Emfuleni Municipality.
The accused would allegedly approach those affected and offer to restore their electricity supply for a fee. Once payments were made, they would allegedly reconnect the electricity unlawfully and manipulate municipal records to show a reduced amount owing on the affected accounts.
However, the reduced balances would allegedly later revert to the original amounts. Despite this, the clients’ electricity supply would remain active because of the illegal reconnections.
The matter was eventually reported to the municipality by complainants. After internal investigations, the municipality referred the case to the police. The seven initial accused were arrested on 21 and 22 August.
Van Reenen is also facing a separate fraud charge involving approximately R424 000, which she allegedly swindled from the municipality. In that case, she is accused of misrepresenting herself as an independent agent who could help residents secure discounts on outstanding municipal accounts.
Victims would allegedly give her money to make discounted payments to the municipality on their behalf. However, the funds were allegedly never paid over to the municipality. Van Reenen also allegedly submitted claims to the municipality on behalf of the victims.
During the bail hearing of the seven accused on Wednesday, the court heard that Abel Mokoena and Tebogo Morobi, both from Emfuleni’s revenue department, were complainants in the matter.
Investigating officer Detective Sergeant Nontobeko Shange told the court that money meant for the municipality was allegedly diverted into bank accounts linked to the accused. The transactions allegedly showed that millions of rand were later distributed among syndicate members for personal use.
Shange said financial records, including bank accounts showing deposits and transactions between the accused, had positively and directly linked them to the alleged offences.
The cases are among several matters flagged by slain whistleblower and Emfuleni senior employee Martha Mani Rantsofu before her death. They are now being investigated by the Political Killings Task Team.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed on Thursday that investigations had revealed Van Reenen was believed to be the apparent mastermind behind the scheme.
Mathe said: “The suspect was re-arrested shortly after being released on bail in an unrelated matter today [Thursday]. She is expected to make her first appearance in court facing charges of theft, damage to and theft of critical infrastructure, and money laundering.”
She said the arrest formed part of ongoing investigations into a syndicate allegedly involved in illegal electricity connections and related criminal activity in the Emfuleni Local Municipality.
“Police investigations are continuing, with authorities working to identify and apprehend all those involved in the illegal electricity connection network,” Mathe said.
Rantsofu’s brother, Lerato Rantsofu, welcomed Van Reenen’s re-arrest and urged police to continue working to bring those responsible for his sister’s killing to justice.
“We are happy that there are some developments that are happening. The team probing the matter is dedicated, and these are some of the actions showing that one day, we will know who killed our sister,” Lerato said.
Van Reenen is expected to appear in court on the latest charges as investigations continue into the alleged syndicate and the broader matters linked to Rantsofu’s whistleblowing.
