By Johnathan Paoli
The bail hearing of eight people accused of being part of a R9.9-million electricity reconnection scam involving the Emfuleni Local Municipality has been postponed to Monday, with the state objecting to bail for alleged mastermind Janitha van Reenen-Coetzee.
Van Reenen-Coetzee, 25, appeared alongside her seven co-accused in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court on Monday, where bail proceedings for the first seven accused were already under way.
However, proceedings were complicated when the defence for Van Reenen-Coetzee argued for her release, while the state maintained that the bail application before court had been prepared only for accused one to seven.
The court postponed the matter to next Monday, with all eight accused remaining in custody.
The seven suspects initially arrested in connection with the alleged syndicate are David Senekal (son of FF+ ward councillor and corruption accused Gerda Senekal), Caroline Maduna, Kenneth Mahobe, Hlawutelo Baloyi, Pule Masilo, Andries Maduna and Sibusiso Tshabalala.
They face charges including tampering with essential infrastructure, fraud, theft and money laundering.
Van Reenen-Coetzee was added as the eighth accused after she was re-arrested outside the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court last Thursday, shortly after securing bail in a separate fraud matter involving Emfuleni Municipality.
Her freedom was short-lived, however, with the Gauteng Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) arresting her over allegations that she was the mastermind behind an illegal electricity connection syndicate operating in Emfuleni.
During Monday’s proceedings, State Prosecutor Titus Daniso opposed bail, arguing that the seriousness of the allegations and the possibility of further charges justified keeping the accused behind bars.
Daniso warned that the alleged tampering with essential infrastructure was particularly serious.
“There is a lot at stake, and there is a likelihood that the accused might try to evade or disrupt investigations,” he said.
Daniso told the court that investigators were awaiting a final determination on possible additional charges.
“What we have is enough to convince this court not to grant the accused bail. Investigations are almost final, and only one Section 205 statement is pending. This matter will then be ready for trial,” he said.
The case emerged from a much wider investigation triggered by the murder of Emfuleni finance official and whistleblower Martha Mani Rantsofu.
Rantsofu was murdered on 30 March this year, while waiting for her vehicle at a tyre fitment centre in Vanderbijlpark.
CCTV footage captured a lone gunman approaching her and firing several shots before fleeing.
Police say the murder investigation subsequently uncovered allegations of extensive fraud and corruption within the municipality.
Speaking after the court proceedings, police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the PKTT initially focused on establishing the motive for Rantsofu’s murder before uncovering alleged fraudulent payments involving Van Reenen-Coetzee and the municipality.
“We are looking for the motives of the murder of Martha Rantsofu. All these cases emanate from her murder that took place in March 2026,” Mathe said.
She said investigators discovered fictitious invoice payments and allegations that Van Reenen-Coetzee had defrauded both the municipality and members of the public.
“We are talking about six to seven clients who have come forward, where Van Reenen would act as an Emfuleni employee where she would collect money from these clients and promise to pay that money over to the municipality,” Mathe said.
The alleged victims later approached the municipality after discovering that payments they had made towards their electricity services had not been reflected on their accounts.
Police allege the broader syndicate involved municipal employees and service providers who participated in illegal electricity connections and related fraudulent activities.
Mathe previously confirmed that Van Reenen-Coetzee was expected to face charges including theft, damage to and theft of critical infrastructure and money laundering.
The court is expected to deal with Van Reenen-Coetzee’s formal bail application on 14 September, alongside the bail proceedings involving her seven co-accused.
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