Janitha van Reenen-Coetzee is facing a charge of fraud involving approximately R424 000.
Janitha van Reenen-Coetzee. Picture: Caxton/Sedibeng Ster
A 25-year-old Vanderbijlpark woman implicated in an Emfuleni Local Municipality fraud case will remain behind bars until her bail ruling.
The case against Janitha van Reenen-Coetzee, the woman linked to the killing of Emfuleni Local Municipality accountant and whistleblower, Martha Rantsofu, returned to the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court, south of Johannesburg, on Tuesday.
Previous bail application
She was previously denied bail in the case and launched a new bid earlier this month to be released on bail.
During the previous application, the state argued that Coetzee posed a flight risk and could interfere with witnesses, as her residential address could not be independently verified.
Coetzee made a brief appearance in court following her arrest last month.
“The case of Janitha van Reenen Coetzee has been postponed to 03 July 2026 for bail judgment,” said National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Tshegofatso Makhudu.
Fraud
Coetzee is facing a charge of fraud involving approximately R424 000 allegedly stolen from Emfuleni Local Municipality.
It is alleged that Coetzee misrepresented herself as an independent agent who could assist desperate residents in obtaining discounts on outstanding municipal accounts.
According to the NPA, the victims would provide her with money to make discounted payments to the municipality on their behalf. However, the funds were allegedly never paid over to the municipality.
Claims
Coetzee also allegedly submitted claims to the municipality on behalf of the victims. It is further alleged that the municipality paid her a total of approximately R424 000, which was never paid to the intended beneficiaries.
The alleged fraud came to light when the then Financial Officer of the Emfuleni Local Municipality, Rantsofu, who has since been killed, identified suspicious claims totalling R424 000 and reported the matter to her manager.
Following an internal investigation by the municipality, the matter was reported to the police.
