Emalahleni Municipality MMCs Arrested After Accepting R20,000 Bribe, South Africans Annoyed

• Two Emalahleni Local Municipality Members of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) were arrested on 16 April 2025
• The duo, aged 54 and 55, were arrested after they were caught accepting a R20,000 gratification
• South Africans were frustrated by the news and believed that the case would soon disappear

Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent ten years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.

MPUMALANGA – Two Members of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) at the Emalahleni Local Municipality have been arrested.

The officials were nabbed on 16 April 2025 after they were caught accepting a bribe. The duo, who allegedly belong to the African National Congress (ANC), are expected to appear before the Emalahleni Magistrate's Court on Thursday, 17 April.

MMCs arrested after accepting R20,000 gratification

The two MMC members, aged 54 and 55, were arrested at Witbank Dam on 16 April. They were nabbed by the Middelburg-based Serious Corruption Investigation Unit after they were caught accepting a R20,000 gratification. '

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The money is allegedly part of the R500,000 bribe they demanded from the victim. The victim would qualify for the extension of a lease agreement in exchange for the money.

The R20,000 is reportedly the second amount the two officials received, after they were also paid R40,000 in February 2025. The money was equally shared between the two suspects.

Officers were able to confiscate the cash and two luxury vehicles at the scene.

The arrests are the latest incident of illegal or questionable practices at the local government level. In March 2024, senior officials of the Nongoma Municipality were arrested for money laundering, theft, and fraud.

In February 2025, questions were raised after the KwaDukuza Local Municipality confirmed that R37 million went missing from its bank account.

South Africans frustrated by the news

Social media users weighed in on the news, with many expressing frustrations with the ANC over the latest corruption scandal involving its members. Others expressed concern that the members will get away with it.

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@ETshamugero said:

“The case will disappear like dew in the morning.”

@Luteendo added:

“Only one night behind bars. Then the case disappears. Mxm South Africa.”

@ZakiaBouman stated:

“They are going to say it's political persecution, and their dumb, idiotic supporters will believe them. These thugs deserve lengthy jail time to set a precedent. These officials don't give a damn about the people who gave them work by voting for them.”

Sibusiso Hlatshwayo claimed:

“Useless NPA will let these thugs off the hook as usual.”

Pavlos Gakis said:

“They are merely scratching the surface. This city has become a cesspool of corruption.”

Banele F Bulunga stated:

“The whole government is corrupt.”

Pwccza said:

"I am not convinced, I don't trust our justice system."

Zikhali Julius Mathibela added:

"All rotten potatoes within the ANC must be brought to book."

Ace Magashule appears in court for corruption

In a related article, another ANC member appeared in court in connection with a corruption case, this time related to a tender.

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Briefly News reported that former ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule is accused of corruption relating to a R255 million tender.

Magashule and 16 others appeared in court in relation to a tender awarded to businessman Edwin Sodi in 2014.

Source: Briefly News