A 35-year-old company director from Polokwane will appear in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court today on a charge of fraud.

The woman was arrested by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit on Friday, after an investigation by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).

“The suspect promised five desperate job seekers employment at her company and took their personal details, including identity documents and other certificates,” Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Lethunya Mmuroa explains.

Mmuroa says that in April 2020, acting as the director of her company, the woman applied for Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme funds for the five job seekers, indicating they were her employees.

“The application was processed and approved, and an amount of R72 494.10 was deposited into her company’s bank account by the Unemployment Insurance Fund. The suspect used the claimed funds for her own benefit,” he explains.

The SIU investigated and established that none of the five people worked for the suspect and were unaware of the claims made in their name.

“The matter was transferred to the Hawks for further investigation, and the suspect was traced and arrested.”

The provincial head of the Hawks, Major General Advocate Gopz Govender, welcomed the arrest of the suspect.