
By OBAKENG MAJE
17 September 2026 – The Greater Taung Local Municipality (GTLM) has sent out a notice of an intention to place its legal manager, Lindokuhle Perseverance Shiba on a precautionary suspension. This comes after the startling revelation by The Guardian Newspaper, that Shiba who was appointed by the municipality two months ago, was actually struck off the roll as the legal practitioner by the Legal Practice Council.
The embattled Shiba is accused of stealing Road Accident Fund (RAF) money estimated to the tune of R3 million from his clients. This allegedly prompted his clients to file a formal complaint of professional misconduct and trust account theft with the Legal Practice Council. On 23 July 2026, the Free State High Court ordered that Shiba be struck from the roll of legal practitioners.
“The respondent shall immediately surrender and deliver to the Director/ acting Director/ nominee of the applicant of the Free State Provincial Legal Council his certificate of enrolment as a legal practitioner of the Honourable Court.
“In the event of the respondent failing to comply with the previous paragraph of this order, the sheriff be and authorised and directed to take possession of the certificate and to hand it to the registrar of this Honourable Court,” the court said.
The court further said the respondent is prohibited from handling or operating on his/her accounts as detailed in paragraph 6 thereof. It said the Director/acting Director/ Nominee of the applicant Free State Provincial Legal Council is appointed as the Curator Bonis to administer and control the trust accounts of the respondent and any accounts relating to insolvent and deceased estates and any deceased estate and any estate under Curatorship connected with the respondent’s practice as attorney. The court added that this includes also the separate banking accounts opened and kept by the respondent at a bank in the Republic of South Africa in terms of Section 86 (1) of the LPA and/or any separate savings or interest-bearing accounts as contemplated by Section 86 (3) and/or Section 86 (4) of the LPA in which monies from such trust banking accounts have been hereafter referred to as “the trust accounts”), with the powers and duties.
Meanwhile, the Greater Taung Local Municipality (GTLM) spokesperson, Ricky Oliphant said: “Shiba has not yet been suspended. The municipality has issued a letter of intention to suspend, which the manager in question has responded to. The process to suspend is being finalised.
“He is being charged with gross dishonesty. The dates will be set once the investigating team has been established. The municipality has written to the Head of Department (HoD), Dr Ben Bole to request use of experts in the department for investigation. We are awaiting the response.”
Oliphant said Shiba will be suspended with full pay in line with municipal policies. He said vetting of Shiba was done in accordance with municipal policies and was based on criminal record, qualifications verification and reference checks.
“The Municipal Manager and Council have not determined that they were misled on the matter,” said Oliphant.















































