Murder of Ekurhuleni auditor tied to probe into R2b electricity billing scandal

The murder of Mpho Mafole, the group divisional head for corporate and forensic audits at the City of Ekurhuleni municipality, has sent shockwaves through the city. 

Mafole was found in a pool of blood after he was sprayed with bullets on the R23 in Kempton Park on Monday, June 30.

Sources close to the municipality believe that Mafole's death was a hit, linked to his investigation into a massive R2 billion electricity scandal he was close to uncovering.

According to a senior member of the municipality, Mafole, just months after joining the city, and his team were probing a massive electricity billing scandal that cost Ekurhuleni tax payers over R2 billion. 

The scandal involved tampered electricity accounts, with some accounts paying drastically reduced rates for electricity, while others were absent from the system, evidently showing that the municipality was being short-changed.

The senior official of the municipality, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisals, said Mafole was close to blowing the lid off the electricity bill scandal that had cost the municipality billions.

“Even the mayor (Nkosindipinde Xhakaza) is aware of the matter and is getting to the bottom of it…We are hoping that those that were close to the investigation are kept safe because this has to eventually come out…especially after the death of one of us,” the source said.

During a sombre funeral on Sunday, City of Ekurhuleni Mayor Xhakaza suggested that there was a link between Mafole's murder and the municipality's financial scandals.

"It is such things that auditors like Mpho would help us determine, where the funds went when I have to account as the mayor," Xhakaza said. 

"The city and country have lost a man of integrity. We will continue to fight and make sure justice is served,” he said.

Earlier in the week Xhakaza also revealed that Mafole had drafted a charge sheet for a suspended official, believed to be part of a criminal syndicate.

"It's one thing to prepare a charge sheet for suspended officials and once you submit it, something happens," Xhakaza said. 

"We don’t want to draw up linkages, but if you are involved in this type of work and you get shot, it can’t be a random thing".

Mafole's family believes that his murder was directly tied to his investigation into municipal corruption.

"We knew Mpho was working on something big," said a relative. 

"He was getting close to exposing corruption in the municipality. The people who killed him knew what they were doing, they were clearly experts".

Xhakaza, last week, wrote to National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola to investigate a series of shootings involving senior Ekurhuleni municipal officials.

Mafole’s tragic death comes four years after whistle-blower Babita Deokaran was gunned down outside her home in Gauteng. 

Six “hitmen” have since been sentenced, however, the “masterminds” behind the hit are still believed to be at large.

Deokaran, who was 53 when she died, was the chief director of financial accounting at the Gauteng Department of Health and was killed on August 23, 2021.

It is alleged that a hit was put on the mother of one after she blew the whistle on fraud and corruption related to Covid-19 PPE procurement amounting to R332 million at the Tembisa Hospital in Ekurhuleni.

Days after her death, six men were arrested and charged with murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. 

Phakamani Hadebe, Zitha Radebe, Nhlangano Ndlovu, Sanele Mbhele, Siphiwe Mazibuko and Phakanyiswa Dladla, who entered into a plea agreement with the State, were sentenced in the South Gauteng  High Court on August 22 last year.

Additional reporting by IOL.

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