Matlosana municipal manager, who is implicated in a scandal involving an R3 million law firm tender, appeared in court, along with her sister. The sisters were charged with theft, corruption, fraud and money laundering after their arrest by the Klerksdorp police on Sunday.

SISTERS IN CRIME 

Lesego Seametso, the municipal manager for the North West municipality, is accused alongside her sister Lebo Seametso, who is also an employee of the same municipality at the traffic department. In April, Lesego was accused of embezzling council funds through an unlawfully awarded contract to a law firm, which became the municipality's panel of attorneys. The contract was terminated this year after opposition parties lodged a complaint with the Hawks. Upon learning of the investigation by the Hawks, Lesego allegedly swiftly moved to cancel the contract.

Lesego allegedly played a role in the appointment of the law firm and was later appointed as the Director of Corporate Services for the same firm while still employed by the municipality. The municipality later processed the sale of municipal land in Hartebeesfontein, known as Supreme Chicken Poultry Farm, and it is alleged that Lesego transferred the money into her personal account and bought a house estimated at R3 million. It further emerged that the house was previously owned by the owners of the same law firm before transfer to the Seametso family trust of which Lesego, her sister Lebo and one of the lawyers contracted by her municipality were the trustees. Gauteng Hawks spokesperson Captain Lloyd Ramovha confirmed that the sisters appeared in the Klerksdorp Magistrate's Court on Monday. Ramovha said they could not rule out more arrests regarding the case pending further investigation. "The municipality manager and her sister were granted bail of R20 000 and R 10 000 respectively," he said. The case was postponed to 2 August for further investigation.