Covid-19 relief: NPA freezes 28 bank accounts as huge UIF ‘fraud’ comes to light

Nearly R6m in Covid-19 relief funds - intended for 200 workers at risk of starvation - were diverted to one man in what Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) investigators are calling a glaring instance of fraud and money-laundering.

In what appears to be a manipulation of the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) relief system that has given a lifeline to 3.6-million people, a large labour broker's Covid-19 Temporary Employment Relief Scheme (Ters) claim was allegedly paid to one man - Tshepang Phohole.

In an instant he went from having R12 in his account to more than R5m, much of it then quickly funnelled to friends.

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