By BAKANG MOKOTO
30 June 2025- The Democratic Alliance (DA) said it welcomes further progress in the fight against pension fund crime in the Northern Cape, where municipalities reportedly owe more than R100 million in outstanding pension fund contributions. This follows the arrest of the former Municipal Manager of !Kheis Local Municipality, Joseph Floyd Leeuw, on 30 counts of contravening the Pension Funds Act 24 of 1956.
The DA Northern Cape Provincial Leader, Harold McGluwa, who is also a Member of Provincial Legislature (MPL) said Leeuw stands accused of failing to pay over pension deductions for the period of October 2019 to June 2022, resulting in late payment interest ballooning to R8 545 980. McGluwa said they are relieved that more municipalities are being exposed for robbing employees of their hard-earned pensions.
“The DA has been actively fighting against municipal pension fund crime in the Northern Cape for years. In 2017, the DA laid a criminal charge against Kai !Garib for failing to pay over contributions to third parties, also reporting our concerns to the Office of the Public Protector in 2020.
“In October 2022, we protested outside the Upington Magistrate’s Court following the arrest of the former Municipal Manager of Kai !Garib Local Municipality, Johnny Mackay for pension fund crime totaling more than R9 million.
“In October 2023, the DA laid criminal charges against the Renosterberg MM for pension fund crime. In October 2024, we picketed outside the Petrusville Magistrate’s Court, following the arrest of multiple senior managers of Renosterberg, in relation to pension fund prejudice suffered to the value of R73 563 652,” he said.
McGluwa further said the DA also came out in full support of the arrests of the Municipal Manager of Kamiesberg, Rufus Beukes in November last year, as well as the ex-CFO of Thembelihle Local Municipality earlier this year, both in relation to contravention of the Pension Fund Act. He added that late payment interest in these cases exceeds R2 million and R6 million respectively.
“Pension crimes are an assault on the future and dignity of municipal employees. The DA will continue to monitor all five criminal cases closely. We hope that they will expose the true extent of pension injustices suffered and allow for a swift remediation process to unfold for affected employees,” said McGluwa.
The Guardian 