The municipal manager of Blouberg Local Municipality in Limpopo, Refilwe Jonas Ramothwala, has joined the directors of a security company on the dock, facing criminal charges over a controversial tender that allegedly resulted in about R11 million being paid to the company over three years.
Ramothwala, 57, appeared in the Senwabarwana Magistrate’s Court on Friday alongside BBT Security Services directors Sello Herlot Mongalo, 37, and Ngoako Nicolas Thoka, 39, following their arrests by the Hawks on Wednesday.
The court appearance marks a dramatic escalation of an investigation reported by African Times, which revealed allegations that BBT had used questionable firearm details and allegedly fraudulent supporting documents to secure the lucrative municipal security contract.
The Hawks initially put the value of the tender at approximately R16 million.
But the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson for the Limpopo Division, Mashudu Malabi, has, in a statement, now revealed that more than R11 million was allegedly paid to BBT during the three-year implementation of the contract.
According to the NPA, Blouberg Municipality awarded the security contract to BBT in March 2023, despite allegations that the company failed to meet key technical requirements contained in the tender specifications.
One of those requirements involved the ownership of firearms necessary to provide the contracted security services.
The Hawks’ investigation allegedly found that firearm serial numbers submitted by BBT in its tender documents were linked to firearms belonging to other security companies.
Investigators also allegedly uncovered fraudulent certificates in BBT’s company profile and certification stamps that were allegedly fake.
Despite the alleged non-compliance, the NPA says BBT continued providing security services and received municipal payments for approximately three years.
Now, Ramothwala, the municipality’s accounting officer, is facing the court alongside the directors of the company that allegedly benefited from the contract.
The three accused are collectively facing 73 charges, including fraud, theft and money laundering.
Ramothwala faces an additional charge relating to an alleged contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act 56 of 2003.
The NPA has also disclosed that Ramothwala has a separate pending fraud case before the Hoedspruit Regional Court, with that matter scheduled to proceed on 16 October 2026.
The case has been postponed to 1 October 2026 for a formal bail application.
