A City of Cape Town councillor appeared in court on Thursday accused of siphoning Covid-19 employee relief funds.

DA ward councillor Nora Grose, 64, was released on R10,000 bail after a brief appearance in the Atlantis magistrate's court on charges of fraud and money laundering, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) said in a statement.

Grose handed herself over to investigators ahead of her court appearance.

“She allegedly facilitated the Temporary Employee Relief Scheme (Ters) funding along with the chairperson of a non-governmental organisation (NGO) called the SA Religious Civic Organisation (Sarco).

“Those funds were allegedly used for personal gain,” said the Hawks.

She also allegedly colluded with Reuben Swartz, chairperson of the same NGO, to siphon relief funds from the City of Cape Town. “The humanitarian funds valued at R170,000, meant for the distribution of food parcels in Atlantis, were reportedly funnelled to a church in Table View with links to some city officials,” the Hawks said.

Swartz was arrested in December and was expected to appear in the specialised commercial crimes court on Friday.

Grose is due back in court on June 21.

Grose is listed on the city's website as the councillor for Ward 23, which includes the suburbs of Melkbosstrand, Big Bay, Blaauwbergstrand and Table View. She is a member of the city’s urban management portfolio committee.

TimesLIVE