Luxury vehicles seized in fraud investigation
17 October 2025
Klerksdorp Record, Klerksdorp - The news last week of the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) seizing three luxury vehicles connected to a high-profile fraud and corruption case involving the City of Matlosana’s Chief Financial Officer, Mercy Phetla, and five co-accused spread like wildfire.
In a video on the social media platform TikTok, Phetla responded to the report saying it was malicious and not true. She said she is unaware of any preservation order or vehicle repossession involving her.
Lt Col Tinyeko Mathebula, spokesperson of the Hawks, announced on Thursday October 9 that they secured a preservation order valued at R2.7 million. The order was granted by the High Court of South Africa’s North West Division on September 26.
According to investigators, the order is a significant step forward in a case where the municipality allegedly paid over R6 million for services that were never delivered.
The preservation order specifically applies to a Mercedes Benz CLA200, a Range Rover Evoque, and a Maserati Levante S M156. The CFO denies ever owning these luxury vehicles. “For the sake of those who love and support me, I don’t care about haters; haters will always be there, the circulations you are seeing are not true, and those that know me, know that I do not drive those cars and I’ve never driven such cars.”
The criminal case against the CFO and her co-accused, Tiisetso Sebetlela, the director of Variegated; Josephine Tsimane, a municipal stores official; Anga Shongwe; Mathapelo Puswe; and Vincent Shongwe will proceed. If they are found guilty, the AFU will then apply to the court for a forfeiture order. Only if the forfeiture order is granted will the vehicles be permanently confiscated.
At that point, they would become the property of the state and would likely be auctioned off. Currently, they are being stored in a state-controlled facility.
All six accused are expected to appear in the Specialised Commercial Crime Court in Klerksdorp on October 27.
