An ANC ward councillor in eMbalenhle has been arrested for fraud on April 27.

The arrest follows a woman’s complaint to the police that a stand was sold to her in an alleged scam.

According to the police case, the woman was looking for a stand to buy in eMbalenhle in September last year. She was referred to a man who acted as the alleged middleman.

The woman apparently paid R30 000 into an account of this middleman, who allegedly shares access to the account with the ward councillor. The councillor allegedly received R8 000 of the money.

The complainant claims the councillor then issued a confirmation letter for the ownership of the stand and instructed her to build a temporary structure on the empty stand.

The complainant became suspicious of the ownership confirmation letter as the stand actually belongs to the Govan Mbeki Municipality. She reported the incident to the police which led to the councillor’s arrest.

The so-called middleman is still at large.

The councillor is set to appear in court tomorrow, April 29. His name is being withheld until his court appearance.