Ex-Tshwane mayor Makwarela to appear in court for fraud

Former Tshwane mayor handed himself over to police on Monday morning

Mpho Koka Journalist
Former Tshwane mayor Murunwa Makwarela. File photo.
Former Tshwane mayor Murunwa Makwarela. File photo.
Image: MASI LOSI

Former Tshwane mayor Dr Murunwa Makwarela is expected to appear in the Pretoria specialised crimes court on Monday after he handed himself over to the police. 

Hawks spokesperson Col Katlego Mogale confirmed that Makwarela would appear in court on Monday morning on a charge of fraud.

He was investigated after it emerged that a document he presented to the city of Tshwane purporting to be his rehabilitation certificate was forged.  

He had been declared insolvent in 2016 and by law could not stand as a councillor in the city unless he could provide a rehabilitation certificate from court.  

When city manager Johann Mettler demanded a rehabilitation certificate, the document he presented was so poorly forged that the name of the court was wrong, even his own surname was misspelt.

The registrar of the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria confirmed that the document was never issued from the court and that no rehabilitation certificate was ever issued under Makwarela’s name.  

Last month, Sowetan reported about how Makwarela, an apostle at The Righteousness of God Ministries church in Wallmansthal, Pretoria, said there were “big, old and sophisticated billionaires pumping billions” to attack him because he was broke in 2016.

“Thank you for your prayers. We lost our father-in-law... my wife’s father. It is heavy and not the easiest of things to deal with. As if that was not enough, there is the political side of me.

“I have never seen such an attack – one man, one seat attack as if he stole eggs. The attack is that this man in 2016 was so broke. What does it have to do with the now? Can you imagine,” Makwarela asked.

“I don’t say to be broke is a crime. We lose money all the time. As if that was not enough, the attacks were coming left, right and centre. We have seen that the establishment is attacking one young boy from the village.

“An attack on one man from the village, attacked by big, old, sophisticated billionaires pumping money and billions to attack me, filling all the media spaces, scandalising his name and even saying that he does not have a PhD."

kokam@sowetan.co.za 


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