A suspected serial con artist and ex-convict who posed as Free State premier Ace Magashule's son was nabbed after duping a correctional services official of R40000 in Pretoria last week.

The suspect was nabbed in a sting operation set up after the robbery.

He was found in possession of police dockets as well as several bank cards and no less than 50 copies of IDs.

Magashule's son, Thato, confirmed he heard about the con man and it was not for the first time his name was used to defraud people.

"I was contacted by police from Pretoria who told me that they arrested someone who was robbing people using my name. They asked me to write an affidavit and send it to them.

"It is not for the first time that this is happening. I opened a case with police in QwaQwa earlier this year after the same guy went around taking money from people under the pretence that he was Thato Magashule. He promised some of them tenders in my name."

Magashule's spokesman Tiisetso Makhele confirmed the premier was aware of the man's activities.

"The premier is aware of the alleged misuse of the name or names of some members of the Magashule family by a certain individual in Gauteng," said Makhele.

Police spokesman Captain Matthews Nkoadi confirmed they nabbed the man.

"The suspect will appear in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Monday (today)."

The Department of Correctional Services also confirmed that the suspect was on parole for fraud and forgery since his release from prison in January.

The department's spokesman Singabakho Nxumalo said [the man] was incarcerated at Bizzah Makhate Correctional Centre in Free State after he was sentenced to five years for fraud and forgery.

"He was then granted parole and had to complete part of his sentence in the community.

"Parole is part of the rehabilitation of an offender and it assists offenders to integrate back into society," Nxumalo.

"Offenders released on parole are closely monitored to ensure that they comply with their parole conditions.

"Thus it has transpired that [the suspect] has deviated from the conditions of his parole placement.

"He is deemed to have absconded and this was reported to the department on November 10 2016.

"A G306 will be issued (warrant of detention) and [a] criminal case has been opened with the SAPS to effect an arrest."

It is understood that during his criminal activities in the capital city, the man fraudulently bought a Hyundai Tucson and duped the owner of Dibango, a popular pub in Atteridgeville, Pretoria.

According to police sources, the con man posed as Thato and interviewed tens of jobless people with the promise of hiring them at his engineering and construction company.

"He interviewed these people at Dibango and told them that he was Magashule's son and had a big tender at the Department of Water and Sanitation.

"After taking their CVs and copies of their IDs, he used the documents to steal their identities and opened several bank accounts and credit accounts fraudulently."

Dibango owner Obert Masipa confirmed he was cheated out of money by the man.

"He came here saying he was interviewing people for his new law firm. He ordered breakfast for himself and the people he was interviewing. He then tried to lend R35000 from me and I refused. He owes me R1400 for food," he said.