They were arrested by the Gqeberha Hawks' Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team in 2019.
Image for illustrative purposes. Picture: Supplied
Three former employees at Pioneer Foods and Five Ways Spar have been jailed for orchestrating a bread delivery fraud scheme.
Luvuyo Titi (45), Seti Davidson (69) and Mary Anne Louisa Van Wyk (49) appeared before the Gqeberha Specialised Commercial Crime Court on 26 June 2026, where they were convicted and sentenced for fraud.
Arrest
The trio were arrested by the Gqeberha Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team in 2019.
Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana said they appeared in court on the same day and were each granted bail of R1 000.
“The accused were entrusted with key responsibilities within the commercial distribution chain between Pioneer Foods and Five Ways Spar. Pioneer Foods supplied fresh-baked bread to Five Ways Spar in Gqeberha daily, with each delivery accompanied by official invoices detailing the quantity and value of the products delivered.
“Additional deliveries requested by the retailer were recorded on manual delivery notes, which required formal acknowledgement by the receiving clerk before reconciliation and invoicing by Pioneer Foods,” Mhlakuvana said.
Investigations
According to Mhlakuvana, the investigations revealed that the accused orchestrated fictitious transactions by falsifying delivery documentation and exploiting weaknesses in the reconciliation process.
“This enabled fraudulent financial claims and the unlawful misappropriation of company funds over an extended period. The fraud came to light after the company detected discrepancies and subsequently referred the matter to the Hawks for investigation.
“A meticulous investigation by the Hawks established beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused deliberately manipulated administrative and financial control systems by falsifying delivery records and abusing the reconciliation process,” Mhlakuvana said.
Sentences
Mhlakuvana added that the Hawks’ investigation positively linked all three accused to the offences, leading to their arrest in 2019.
Following numerous court appearances and the presentation of overwhelming evidence, the court imposed the following sentences:
- Titi, a delivery truck assistant and occasional driver employed by Pioneer Foods, was sentenced to 15 years’ direct imprisonment.
- Davidson, a delivery truck driver employed by Pioneer Foods, was sentenced to seven years’ direct imprisonment.
- Louisa Van Wyk, a goods receiving clerk at Five Ways Spar, was sentenced to 15 years’ direct imprisonment.
Team commended
The Acting Provincial Head of the Hawks in the Eastern Cape, Brigadier Fernando Luis, hailed the convictions as “a significant victory in the ongoing fight against complex commercial crime,” praising his team’s “exceptional professionalism, perseverance, and expertise.”
He reaffirmed the Hawks’ commitment to protecting the integrity of the Eastern Cape’s commercial sector through the relentless pursuit of financial criminals.
