Elderly Woman Faces over 10 000 Charges After Making Half a Billion in Rands

• An elderly South African woman recently appeared before the court for thousands of criminal charges
• The woman identified as Zhang Ying Potgieter reported to the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court on 4 March 2026
• The elderly woman was accused of pulling off illegal activities with her bogus travel agency

Zhang Ying Potgieter is facing serious legal trouble. The 51-year-old woman is accused of helping people and entities make illegal money deposits.

The 51-year-old's shady business was unbelievably lucrative as she was dealing with multinational money transfers. Authorities revealed that the woman committed criminal financial transactions, and she must answer to thousands of charges.

According to The Citizen, Zhang Ying Potgieter, identified as a naturalised South African, was in the business of illegal cross-border money transfers. She appeared at a Magistrate's court facing 19 097 criminal charges. Hawks spokesperson Katlego Mogale explained that she used Blue Planet travel services, making bookings on the eNett platform. eNett allowed Zhang to make bookings on behalf of travellers using a virtual account number that was automatically generated. She received a large sum of money from 150 people and corporations who wanted to move money across borders without paying any duties or taxes.

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Following the serious charges, Zhang Ying Potgieter was still able to get bail. She was released on a R70, 000 bail with strict conditions.

SA reacts to woman with many criminal charges

Online users reacted to details on Potgieter's arrest, and some applauded authorities for slamming down on financial crimes. Others lamented that corruption was such a norm in South Africa and expressed their lack of confidence in lawmakers. Read the comments about the lady's arrest below:

Bangles Oliphant was stunned that the woman faced the law:

"OMW I'm not even surprised, with this government, anything is possible."

Yogan Raji was happy to see that the lady was arrested:

"Well done!! White collar crime is far worse than everybody thinks of it as it robs countries of their own wealth"

Others referenced President Ramaphosa's past corruption scandal with money found hidden in a couch on his property, Phala Phala Farm:

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Anand Chetty argued that arresting the 51-year-old was pointless:

"Give her a break like Ramozola (Ramaphosa), who cares about someone we don't know. When millions unaccounted for were stolen by someone we know, that sofa will go down in history."

Anand Chetty also referenced the President's past with corruption:

"If Ramazola gets a break, give all these fuokstras a break who cares anymore."

Other Briefly News stories about crime

• A CIT heist in Braamfischerville made South Africans realise how rampant crime is in Mzansi.
• Gauteng police officers were accused of accepting bribes from illegal immigrants seeking freedom to be in the country.
• South Africans made light of Cat Matlala, admitting that he likes to use Woolies bag to deliver money for alleged bribes.
• A former Home Affairs official was accused of laundering more than a million rand to build a mansion in Limpopo.

Source: Briefly News