Businessman Arrested for Money Laundering After SAPS Found R1.2 Million in His House

• The South African Police Service busted a Mpumalanga man with over R1 million his house
• The suspect tried to bribe the officers after they found money under his mattress and in his wardrobe
• The arrest came after the police were tipped that a man had an unlicensed firearm, and South Africans reacted

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, covered criminal activities, police investigations, police shootouts and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.

KOMATIPOORT, MPUMALANGA — An Mpumalanga man is in jail after the South African Police Service arrested him on 16 March 2025 for money laundering, having an unlicensed firearm and trying to bribe them to prevent the arrest from happening.

What happened in Mpumalanga?

According to IOL, the police received a tip-off from an anonymous person that the 51-year-old businessman owned an unlicensed firearm in Komatipoort. When they arrived at Tonga View, they found that the suspect was in his house. They searched the house, and while searching, they discovered R1.2 million in his house. The money was hidden under the bed and inside the wardrobe. They continued searching and found another bag of money in the house.

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Man tries to bribe cops

The man was allegedly in no mood to be behind bars, so he tried his luck. He tried to bribe the officers with R50,000. This did not work, as he was still arrested. The money was confiscated, and he is expected to appear before the Nkomazi Magistrates Court in Tonga soon.

The police discovered that the businessman was involved in clearing commercial goods. The provincial commissioner, Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi, applauded the police for the work they did under Operation Vala Umgodi, of which the arrest formed part.

Arrests related to Operation Vala Umgodi

• Four police officers were arrested and appeared in court in late January in connection with the escape of mining kingpin James Neo Tshoaeli
• Four illegal foreigners were arrested for operating an illegal minerals processing laboratory in Limpopo on 9 February
• The police also arrested a suspect in Limpopo for allegedly collecting sand without a permit

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South Africans compare him to Ramaphosa

Netizens commenting on IOL's Facebook page jokingly compared him to President Cyril Ramaphosa, who hid almost a million dollars on his Pahala Phala farm in Limpopo.

Tony Ganas said:

"He learned from Ramaphosa. Only Ramphosa is protected from money laundering."

Matsarane Mmina Tau asked:

"And the dollar bills found in you know who's couches? How come he was never arrested?"

Mpho Moloi said:

"Yet Cyril was not arrested. This truly is an Animal Farm."

Stephen Dunn said:

"Scams and white collar crime are so rampant in SA, and yet we see little decent convictions because our prosecuting authorities seem not to be able to do their work."

Siphiwokuhle Mabhalandile Nqeto said:

"Evidence will disappear, the docket will disappear and the unnamed businessman's case will be withdrawn. He will return to his operations where he will now be bribing police and government officials."

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Tim Tim aid:

"And yet our president has billions in his mattress."

Sankara Bizela said:

"At least it's not in foreign currency like in Phala Phala."

Vuz'muz Blessing said:

"Inspired by the president."

R37 million goes missing from KwaDukuza Municipality bank account

In another article, Briefly News reported that the MEC of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal, Thulasizwe Buthelezi, asked for a report after R37 million went missing from the KwaDukuza Municipality's bank account.

The money reportedly went missing on 31 January this year, and ABSA has been investigating the sudden disappearance. South Africans were in disbelief, and many believed it was looted.

Source: Briefly News