By OBAKENG MAJE
3 July 2026 – The mayor of Ubuntu Local Municipality in Victoria West, Cheryl Jantjies was arrested for Contravention of Section 13A of the Pension Funds Act 24 of 1956 and Contravention of Municipal Finance Management Act. Jantjies briefly appeared before the Richmond Magistrate’s Court on 3 July 2026, facing 28 charges.
The Hawks spokesperson in Northern Cape, Lieutenant Colonel Tebogo Thebe said she was arrested earlier this morning by the Hawks Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team. Thebe alleged that during the period of February 2020 and September 2025, Municipal Manager, Synthia Levona Itumeleng (45) and the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Randile Jacobs Shuping in performance of their duties, withheld/delayed payments of municipal workers contributions to third parties which included payments to Consolidated Retirement Pension Fund (CFR).
“The delayed payments accumulated interests which were never paid, despite payment reminders. This action left Ubuntu Local Municipality with a debt of over R200 000. This debt was recently reduced to just under R100 000 in pension funds contributions, thereby contravening Section 13A of the Pension Funds Act 24 of 1956.
“During the raid period, Jantjies served as a mayor where she had a role to oversee the running of the municipality to ensure that the municipality did not fall short of its financial obligations. She was granted R2000 bail and the matter is postponed to 20 August 2026, where she will be joining her co-accused,” he said.
The Guardian 