Durban – A 51-year-old man who embezzled almost R1 million from the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) has been jailed for 12 years.
Galela Mdlekeza was sentenced in the Mthatha Specialised Commercial Crime Court following his arrest in February this year.
Mdlekeza had worked as a team leader for the PSIRA in Mthatha.
The Hawks in the Eastern Cape said the finance manager at the PSIRA blew the whistle after they discovered that an amount of R8 200 which was supposed to be deposited from the Mthatha PSIRA office was not reflected on the company’s bank statement.
“Upon enquiring from Mdlekeza, who was a team leader in Mthatha office then, he could not give any reasonable explanation for the outstanding amount which was received for daily services rendered by that office,” said Hawks spokesperson Yolisa Captain Yolisa Mgolodela.
An internal investigation began in June 2021.
“The investigations revealed that during the period between June 2021 and November 2021, cash to the value of more than R970 000 which was supposed to be banked by Mdlekeza was never banked but instead misappropriated,” said Mgolodela.
In November 2021 Mdlekeza was suspended; he resigned the following month.
“The matter was referred to the Hawks in June 2022 for intensive probing which resulted in Mdlekeza’s arrest on February 7, 2023.”
Mdlekeza appeared in the Mthatha Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on the same day and was released on R2 000 bail.
This week the court jailed him without the option of a fine.
“The (Hawks) team is once more commended by the provincial head, Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya, for being hell-bent on eradicating commercial crime tendencies that compromise the national economy,” Mgolodela said.
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