Samwu claims overtime fraud by senior JMPD official

A senior Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officer is facing allegations that she unfairly benefited financially by claiming allowances linked to days off. This has raised concerns about abuse of authority and possible misconduct in theJMPD. The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) has lodged a formal complaint against the officer and union member Patricia Maphaka, alleging she misrepresented her working days and irregularly benefited from overtime, night shift and Sunday payments.

Maphaka is a director in the bylaw management unit. According to the complaint, Maphaka allegedly claimed off-duty allowances during periods when she was not entitled to them. Samwu claimed this resulted in her receiving payments she should not have received.

The union estimated the alleged irregular payments amounted to more than R20,000 over a short time. “This requires her to be at work from Monday to Friday. However, logging details indicate off days amounting to four days’ absence from work, consistent with officers on a four days in, four days out shift system.

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A vehicle tracker report for the official vehicle issued to her confirmed she was the driver,” Mokalapa said. He said her payslip reflected overtime payments linked to days recorded as heroff days. “The logging details confirm the role of director Eldred Fortein in the alleged corruption.

The purpose of this complaint is to demonstrate the abuse of power and the provision of false and misleading information in official reports, which appear to have been submitted in furtherance of fraud and corruption within the financial department of the City of Johannesburg,” reads the complaint directed to city manager Floyd Brink. Sowetan understands the vehicle referenced in the allegations falls under the director’s office in which Maphaka works. Fortein is accused of using his position to enable the alleged irregular payments.

Sowetan asked Maphaka and Fortein for comment. Both said the matter was under investigation.

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