Mother and son face court for defrauding clients over R500,000 in burial society scheme

Mother and son face court over R500,000 burial society fraud allegations. Julia Aletta Gaseranolwe, 59, and her son, Lesego Gordon Gaseranolwe, 29, were arrested on Thursday, August 6, 2026, in Kagung village near Kuruman by members of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks). Provincial Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Tebogo Thebe said theoperation involved investigators from the Serious Commercial Crime Investigation (SCCI), Serious Organised Crime Investigation (SOCI) and Serious Corruption Investigation (SCI) units.

Thebe stated that thecharges also involve Kesentletse Burial Society and Thotsang Funerals (Pty) Ltd, which are cited as juristic persons in the case. charges also involve Kesentletse Burial Society and Thotsang Funerals (Pty) Ltd, which are cited as juristic persons in the case. According to Thebe, the allegations occurred between 2018 and 2020 when Kesentletse Burial Society collected monthly premiums from clients in Delportshoop in exchange for funeral cover and grocery benefits that were supposed to be paid upon the death of an insured member.

However, investigations revealed that the company failed to honour numerous claims submitted by its clients. The investigation further established that the business subsequently changed its name to Thotsang Funerals (Pty) Ltd.