The Hawk’s Serious Economic Offences Unit says it was instrumental in ensuring that the former Prasa engineering head, Daniel Mthimkulu, was convicted.
On Tuesday, Mthimkulu was sentenced to 15 years in prison for fraud and misrepresentation of his qualifications.
The disgraced former employee misrepresented his credentials to Prasa by stating that he had earned a doctorate in engineering management from the Technische Universitat Munchen (Munich Technical University) in Germany.
Mthimkhulu is also reported to have lied that he had a Master’s degree from the University of the Witwatersrand.
It is reported that as a result of this, the rail agency suffered prejudice when his annual salary was unduly raised from R1.6 million to R2.8m after he was promoted from executive manager to head of engineering services.
Speaking during a media conference at the University of Joburg’s Soweto Campus on Thursday, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu said Mthimkhulu, like many others who had falsified their qualifications and prejudiced the state, would pay a heavy price for committing fraud against the state.
“Not only is Mr Mthimkhulu being humiliated for falsifying his qualifications, but he is being made to pay a high price. He is … (an embarrassment) to his family, including his children, I hope he has children, to his wife, and I hope he has a wife, to his parents and friends. This is something he could have totally avoided. He would have led a decent life,” the minister said.
Mthimkhulu was arrested in July 2015 and was charged with nine counts, including fraud, forgery and uttering, and on January 20, 2022, the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crime Court found the 49-year-old guilty.
In March 2024, the Johannesburg High Court attached his immovable and movable properties, under the confiscation order of Section 18 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
Hawks head Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya said that as a result of the misrepresentation and fabricated CV, Prasa had suffered prejudice. Mthimkhulu was subsequently ordered by the sane court to repay R5.8m to Prasa to recoup the proceeds of crime.
Lebeya said the Hawks would be working closely with the Asset Forfeiture Unit to confiscate Mthimkhulu’s assets, adding that the AFU had confiscated more than R400m worth of assets.
Mthinkhulu’s case is one of the first state capture prosecutions to reach finality. There has been criticism that the government has been slow to act on recommendations of the Zondo Commission.
Lebeya said a major-general had been arrested for criminal behaviour, an indication that the police did not tolerate criminal behaviour even among its rank and file.
“To prove that we do not discriminate, we deal with criminals even if you are wearing a police uniform. There is a major-general who is currently sitting in prison and awaiting sentencing. We have just released a statement at the end of last month, saying this major-general has just been convicted,” he said.
Speaking to the Insight Factor, former Prasa chief Lucky Montana said he had been employed by the rail agency after Mthimkhulu had been employed there.
“Daniel Mthimkhulu was employed by Prasa eight years before I arrived at Prasa, but when you read the judgement in media, they say Lucky Montana appointed him. I found him there, but they will not tell you that,” he said.
Saturday Star