The investigation into an alleged R16 million vehicle procurement scandal at Emfuleni Local Municipality has taken another turn, with police revealing that several vehicles believed to have been part of the controversial deal were found registered to other municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo.
The developments come as businessman Mpho Malema, 40, appeared briefly in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrates’ Court on Monday, facing charges of fraud, corruption and theft linked to the municipal fleet tender.
Malema is the owner of Maboela Forestry and Construction, the company that was awarded the tender between 2022 and 2023 to supply Emfuleni with 18 vehicles worth R16 million.
Vehicles traced outside Emfuleni
According to police, only seven of the 18 vehicles were delivered to the municipality.
National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the investigation subsequently established that some of the vehicles were registered in the names of other municipalities.
“Further investigations revealed that another seven vehicles had also been procured but were registered to other municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo,” Mathe said.
The vehicles involved in the tender included trucks, Toyota bakkies and graders.
Gauteng National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said seven vehicles had since been recovered from other entities, although the investigation into the whereabouts of the remaining vehicles continues.
“Seven of the vehicles have since been recovered from other entities; the rest of the vehicles are still outstanding,” Mahanjana said.
The state has indicated that it will oppose Malema’s release on bail.
His matter was postponed to 14 September for further proceedings, including a possible bail application and formal bail investigations.
The R16 million tender
The case centres on a municipal fleet procurement process that has been under scrutiny for months.
A forensic investigation previously found that Emfuleni suffered losses of more than R16 million through irregular vehicle purchases, vehicles that were allegedly never delivered and equipment that reportedly became unusable soon after delivery.
The investigation found that invoices had allegedly been signed and stamped to confirm receipt of vehicles that were not actually delivered.
In one instance, the municipality was found to have paid R8.7 million for six trucks that were never delivered.
The municipality also procured eight Toyota Hilux bakkies at a cost of about R4.2 million, but only three were confirmed as having been delivered at the time covered by the forensic investigation.
Officials also under investigation
The allegations have not been limited to the supplier.
Former Emfuleni fleet manager Lerato Mpholo was arrested in July in connection with the same investigation. She faces charges of fraud, corruption and theft and was released on R25,000 bail.
The forensic report also implicated municipal officials in the alleged certification of vehicles that had not been delivered.
Earlier reporting on the investigation found that officials allegedly signed documentation indicating that vehicles had been received, despite some of them being absent.
The municipality has previously indicated that it would pursue criminal and disciplinary action against officials and service providers implicated in the matter, as well as seek to recover financial losses.
A municipality already under pressure
The fleet controversy comes at a difficult time for Emfuleni, which has faced years of criticism over service delivery, financial management and ageing infrastructure.
Fleet shortages have had a direct impact on municipal services, including refuse removal, road maintenance and other essential operations. The municipality’s recent plans to strengthen its vehicle fleet were therefore presented as an important step towards improving service delivery.
In February, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said Emfuleni had unveiled 145 new fleet vehicles intended to support traffic and by-law enforcement, waste management, electrical services and road maintenance.
The latest investigation, however, has placed an older fleet procurement deal under the spotlight, raising questions about how municipal funds were spent and how vehicles allegedly paid for by the municipality ended up linked to other entities.
The investigation continues
Malema’s arrest was made by the Gauteng Political Killings Task Team at a mall in Pretoria on Thursday.
The task team became involved in the broader Emfuleni investigation following the murder of municipal financial clerk Martha Rantsofu in March 2026. Police have said Rantsofu had flagged alleged corruption schemes at the municipality, although no arrests have been made directly in connection with her murder.
The recovery of vehicles in KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo is now another development in an investigation that has exposed alleged weaknesses in Emfuleni’s procurement and fleet management systems.
For now, seven of the vehicles linked to the R16 million tender have been recovered, while investigators continue efforts to trace those still outstanding. Malema remains before the court, where the state intends to oppose bail.
