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THE Hawks yesterday arrested Kaizer Chiefs football club manager Bobby Motaung for alleged fraud in connection with the construction of Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga.

Hawks spokesman McIntosh Polela said yesterday: "We have arrested two men on allegations of fraud, forgery and theft in relation to the Mbombela Stadium construction. I can confirm one man was arrested in Naturena and another in Cape Town. We are looking for a third person." Radio reports this morning said a man in Nelspruit had handed himself over to police.

A reliable source has confirmed that one of the men arrested was indeed Motaung. But Chiefs yesterday pleaded ignorance about the arrest of their flamboyant manager in a terse statement on their website. "The Club has not received any formal confirmation of Bobby Motaung's arrest and therefore cannot comment on the matter at this time," wrote the club.

Polela said the arrests were the result of intensive investigation.

"This is the conclusion of the first phase of investigations into tenders in Mpumalanga. There may be more arrests," he said.

While he would not be drawn into revealing the identity of those arrested, he said one of the suspects was a high-profile South African.

The arrests come eight months after Mbombela abandoned its investigation into allegations of corruption against Motaung and his business associates.

Municipal spokesman Joseph Ngala said last November that the council had resolved to abandon the investigation because the municipality did not have funds to cover the "exorbitant legal costs".

Polela said: "The forgery charge entails their company submitting a forged South African Revenue Service document when applying for the Mbombela tender."

Motaung was the executive director of construction company Lefika Emerging Equity, which was awarded the tender to build the 2010 Soccer World Cup stadium.

Forensic investigations later showed that Lefika had received an alleged irregular payment of R43-million. Former Mbombela World Cup coordinator Differ Mogale allegedly approved the payment without authorisation.

He also allegedly failed to declare his company's relationship with Basil Read and its shareholder, Bouyges Travaux Public.

Former Mbombela municipal manager Jacob Dladla was let off the hook after challenging his 2009 dismissal because of his involvement in awarding the tender.

The late Mbombela municipal speaker, Jimmy Mohlala, who blew the whistle on the alleged fraud and corruption and was due to testify against Dladla, was killed at his home in January 2009.

Polela said the men would appear in the Nelspruit Magistrate's Court today.

• Known in soccer circles as "BobSteak", Motaung is loved by some Amakhosi faithfuls but despised by others who see him as contemptuous. His administration skills have often been questioned by club loyalists because of Chiefs' doleful run.

Calls for his resignation were renewed last year after he claimed at a media briefing in October that he will not step down as general manager as Chiefs was a family business.

Comments

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Fri May 24 18:24:58 SAST 2013 ::

Aug 16, 2012

MorenaWaPolelo

Well this has got to come to an end, Let them face the music

Rise KHOSI Rise!!!
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Aug 16, 2012

tpaz

If you look at the charges- faking tax certificate----- he will walk. Money talks and with a good lawyers this case can take more than 3 years.
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Aug 16, 2012

Tbo.touch

Let the law take its caourse, I believe they have enough evidence for the case to run 4 3 years. It should end soon and the culprits be send behind bars,, oh and by the way Bobby is still young so I don't think we will hear any medical condition parole.
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Aug 16, 2012

januswanus

You tucked the brand bobby. Wonder if sponsors will stay. You fucken greedy.
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Aug 16, 2012

dadaman1

Ananias Mathe's prayers have been answered.

He has been waiting for a girlfriend ever since he was arrested,now he will be happy to have found 1 in Hawky Motaung.

I say NAMA NAMENG Ananias,NAMA NAMENG poi
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Aug 16, 2012

Nastradamas

Greedy !!!! now you wonder what other scandals is he linked to
But still , this is mzantsi and just like The Duke's case was smoked
if forsee the same........Nx!
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Aug 16, 2012

MGEEZ

@tpaz
If you look at the charges- faking tax certificate----- he will walk. Money talks and with a good lawyers this case can take more than 3 years.
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Very true!!! But for me what is surprising is that he can drag the Brand that Kaiser built all these yrs in the mud (Assuming that there is truth in these allegations ofcourse)
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Aug 16, 2012

dadaman1

Since Hawky Motaung said Chiefs is a family business,some of Chiefs players must be REPOSSESED as they might have bought with FRAUD MONEY....

I can already see MulomoWaMaGoals Mathoho going back to Celtics
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Aug 16, 2012

Buc4life

Hello All
I feel sorry for Motaung Snr, cause he is a man of high intergrity and now his name and brand is being dragged in the mud by the greedy Bobby.
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Aug 16, 2012

Buc4life

dadaman1
Since Hawky Motaung said Chiefs is a family business,some of Chiefs players must be REPOSSESED as they might have bought with FRAUD MONEY....

I can already see MulomoWaMaGoals Mathoho going back to Celtics
...................
G Morning,
I suppose that these players did not know. So, please lets talk soccer, not Chiefs or Pirates.
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