Hawks head lauds arrest of 33 suspects in VBS heist, updates on critical Steinhoff investigations 

Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya, National Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), discussed the VBS scandal during a media briefing that highlighted the achievements of the fiscal year 2023/2024.

The briefing, held on Friday in Pretoria, outlines progress and assesses milestones achieved during the fourth and final quarters of the finance year 2023/2024.

A total of 547 suspects, representing 526 natural persons and 21 juristic persons, were brought before various courts across the country. A total of 22 police officers were killed during the 4th quarter.

Drugs valued at R47,224,231-20) were seized with a total number of 68 suspects arrested, 42 of which were South African nationals and 25 of which were foreign nationals. In addition, five drug laboratories worth a total value of R27,970,180 were dismantled and a total of 15 suspects arrested.

A total of 22 police officials, which include 17 off-duty and 5 on-duty, were murdered during the 4th quarter. A total of 18 arrests were made and of the eight sentenced, a total of five were given life imprisonment sentences.

VBS heist

Lebeya elaborated on the scandal, which reverberated throughout the county, stating that while fraud and corruption harm the economy, the DPCI is determined to bring fraudsters and corrupt individuals to justice.

He cited eight cases — the most prominent of which was VBS — with three suspects arrested in Limpopo in connection with VBS corruption totalling R148-million. This occurred in 2017, when two people invested a total of R148,656,282 into VBS Mutual Bank. Lebeya added that large sums were paid to VBS-affiliated companies as so-called “commissions”.

Read more in Daily Maverick: Dissecting the VBS elephant six years on – the R2bn fraud, the R500m settlement and the plight of victims

“Some of the money was laundered through several bank accounts. A total amount of R87,600 was paid from the business to an official over a period of time as gratification, which was a great loss to the Giyani Municipality,” he explained.

Three accused, aged 33 to 64, were arrested on 5 March 2024, during an early morning raid by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team:

• Risimati Hitler Maluleke, the former Chief Financial Officer and acting Municipal Manager for the Greater Giyani Local Municipality, was arrested in Lulekani on charges of violating the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), corruption, and money laundering;


• Nditsheni Mashau, the current Chief Financial Officer of Giyani, was arrested in Giyani for charges of flaunting the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA); and


• Businessman Zwivhuya Goodness Thishonge, facing allegations of money laundering, was arrested in Muhuya village, Thohoyandou.

The case was remanded to the Polokwane Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on 4 July 2024 for pre-trial conference.

“A total number of 33 VBS arrests have been affected with a total of three already convicted. We are still working on the remaining 43 from the 76 suspects, some of whom were not identified during the initial Advocate Motau’s inquiry. So far, 2,907 statements have been recorded by the investigation team and investigations are continuing,” Lebeya explained.

Steinhoff scandal

Lebeya also touched on the Steinhoff crash which wiped more than R200-billion off the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, erased more than half the wealth of tycoon Christo Wiese and knocked the pension funds of millions of ordinary South Africans.

According to Lebeya, late former Steinhoff CEO Markus Jooste is accused of inflating Steinhoff UK’s operating profit by approximately R5.5-billion.

“In December 2016, Jooste allegedly created or caused transactions to be created, which had no economic substance. In December 2017, he resigned after he earned more than R650-million in four years.

“The Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) imposed a R475-million fine on Jooste, for contraventions of the Financial Markets Act (FMA) related to his reporting on the financial position of Steinhoff International,” he said.

On 20 March 2024, the DPCI and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) secured arrest warrants for Jooste and Stephanus Johannes Grobler on allegations of fraud, a pattern of racketeering activities and contravention of FMA.

After being notified of the arrest warrants, Steinhoff mastermind Jooste reportedly committed suicide shortly after the Financial Sector Conduct Authority announced it would be fining Jooste R475-million.

In March 2024 former Steinhoff director Stephanus Johannes Grobler appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court and was released on R150 000-00 bail. The matter was further postponed to 26 June 2024.

Lebeya added that former Chief Financial Officer of Steinhoff Andries Benjamin La Grange handed himself over to the Hawks and was arrested. He appeared at the Specialised Commercial Crime Court where he was granted R150,000-00 bail and the case was postponed to 4 October 2024.

State Capture

On bringing to justice those involved in State Capture, Lebeya stated that the State Capture National Investigation Task Team is concentrating on conducting thorough investigations.

“The team prioritises investigations and transforms inquiries into case dockets. Two thousand, two hundred and forty-one statements have been obtained in 53 cases which were addressing State Capture recommendations,” he said.

The team, he added, recovered over R400-million, promptly deposited into the Criminal Asset Recovery Account. DM