VANDERBIJLPARK – She spoke out about alleged corruption. Then she was gunned down.
Now the police investigating the March murder of whistleblower Martha Rantsofu are following a trail of alleged municipal corruption and fraud to uncover who wanted her dead and why.
Rantsofu was shot dead in broad daylight in Vanderbijlpark, sparking community shock and raising fears that her whistleblowing activities made her a target.
The Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) has since linked her murder to a wider probe into alleged corruption at the Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM).
Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the task team is currently working on 30 cases, with 17 already before court. A total of 31 suspects have been arrested, of whom 19 remain behind bars, 11 have been granted bail, and one has turned state witness.
Speaking to Ster, Mathe said this progress is significant since the task team has only operated for about six months.
“All these connected cases stem from the search for the motive behind Rantsofu’s killing,” said Mathe.
According to police, Rantsofu had blown the whistle on three key matters now under investigation, including alleged fictitious invoice payments, illegal electricity connections, and a R16m municipal vehicle tender.
An early breakthrough involved a fake municipal employee named Janitha van Reenen, who allegedly collected money from residents with promises to pay their municipal accounts while leaving their outstanding balances untouched.
Mathe explained that the investigation came to light after at least six to seven residents complained to the municipality that their service bills were not decreasing.
Van Reenen has also been identified as a key figure in an electricity scam involving seven other municipal employees who allegedly provided illegal electricity connections.
“We are quite confident that we have a strong case,” Mathe said.
In another major development, police secured two arrests regarding a disputed R16m municipal vehicle tender originally reported by Rantsofu.
Initially, former fleet manager Lerato Mpholo was arrested, followed weeks later by businessman Mpho Malema, who was arrested at a Pretoria mall and appeared in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court.
According to the police, Malema’s company won a tender between 2022 and 2023 to supply 18 municipal vehicles for roughly R16m. Investigators, however, found that only eight vehicles were actually procured and registered under the municipality.
A further seven vehicles linked to the tender were allegedly registered under other municipalities, including Lephalale, Mogalakwena and the City of uMhlathuze, as well as a private company.
“That is tantamount to tender fraud. We commend the work of PKTT as they are making commendable progress in these investigations,” Mathe said.
As suspects continue to appear in court and investigators dig deeper into these alleged corruption networks, authorities believe these cases hold the key to solving Rantsofu’s murder.
For the task team, the investigation goes beyond simply following the money. It’s about focusing instead on the trail left behind by the dealings Rantsofu courageously exposed.
