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After a lengthy two-year court case, the former Newcastle Municipality employee, Dedre van Rooyen has been found guilty and will be sentenced at the end of the year.
The saga involving van Rooyen began in 2020 after she was taken into custody on 22 October 2020 for defrauding the Newcastle Municipality out of approximately R3.1 million. At the time, she was granted R50 000 bail.
Following her arrest, Lieutenant Colonel Philani Nkwalase explained that van Rooyen had been linked to the Budget and Treasury Office at the Newcastle Municipality.
Due to their findings, Lieutenant Colonel Nkwalase added that the Hawks National Clean Audit Task Team arrested her on 22 October 2020, with van Rooyen subsequently appearing before the Durban Specialised Commercial Crime Court on the same day.
The Hawks preliminary investigation revealed that van Rooyen had allegedly been withdrawing a second salary from the Newcastle Municipality from February 2012 until June 2020.
With van Rooyen appearing multiple times over the past two years, her case was initially set to conclude on 28 September 2022. However, this was not meant to be.
On 29 September 2022, Newcastillian News reported that on the day, the Spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Natasha Kara explained that the case was remanded until 20 October 2022 for one more witness, prior to sentencing.
To read more, click here.
As a result, Kara confirmed that on 20 October 2022, van Rooyen was found guilty of the crimes she was accused of and is now to be sentenced.
“The matter was adjourned to 6 December 2022 to address the sentence,” affirmed Kara on Tuesday, 25 October 2022.
With a two-year case drawing to a close, what are your thoughts on the above-mentioned?
Share your views in the comment section below.
She deserves what is coming her way
What about all the others fraudsters, what happened to them stealing since 2012. You don’t hear about them ??? Or is this because of race…as usual…
My exact question. State capture. Phalla Phala. VBS etc etc.
Please, not a race issue again! Corruption and fraud is a crime and should be severely punished. The wheels of justice turn slowly and every case has its own complexities. One crime is no justification for another.
Well Said!
Great response
The Ratepayers’ money will never be recovered. She goes in for 5years tops. The damage such people are causing will last far beyond 5 years. All these thieving government officials must clean the streets for eternity when they come out as recourse to the citizens they stole from.
Elize when you go fishing you only catch one at a time and matter what you wish to catch only the one hooked will be brought ashore. Stealing remain a crime according to Scriptural teaching and will be punished
Bring their names forward
I calculated an extra R32000pm. Don’t tell me her husband whom is a Captain in SAPS did not know about this. No normal clerk earns R50 000pm. He surely must have been aware of the “extra” income
Life behind bars is beautiful please enjoy your stay Ahmed
Hopefully, Dedre will tell on her colleagues in crime whatever race they are.
I only hope that the others also get sentenced…. Its about time this country gets rid of all the fraudsters…. But, remember the laws of this country is such that you can do the worst crime and still come out of prison within a few months unlike if you do small crimes, you sit in for a long time…
These are the small fish. Let’s get all the big guys doing billions. Never seems to happen.
Amazing at how quickly she was found guilty yet scum like Zuma who stole a hell of a lot more run free
Fully agree. What about the sentence. Will their incarceration – if considered – be justified in line with financial losses. Each case should be dealt on merits. What makes this one different from others. Was she given the opportunity to exhaust all possible legal avenues available.
Is your sister of course, I pay rates in this Municipality.
Nobody in the finance noticed the sizeable second salary for 8 years?!?!
Tough luck. This is karma. You are punished here. You enjoyed the money, now enjoy the time. Amen
In the two years since this case has been endlessly remanded has she been receiving a salary? Will she still get a pension? WHY do criminals take so long to be brought to justice? Delays cost the taxpayers dearly.
go to jail
Because she is white person she will be made an example off. Very high profile crime in this country either goes on for years without comming to a conclusion or never gets to a point where somebody gets punished just because he or she is from the ag shame previously disadvantaged race.
I was assaulted on the 16th of March 2021 by 7 people including 3 SAPS members. I opened a case at Pinetown Police Station but till today none of the accused have been charged. SAPS members are obligated to uphold the law not abuse fellow citizens. I have written emails to various departments to voice my concern but with no success. Please assist i cant even walk normally due to the injuries.
Hopefully her pension and house will be attached Mr prosecutor should move for a section 300 order to forfeit.
Easy to catch small fish, focus on political leaders & hierarchy for “mismanaged” of funds, private jets & tender fraught costing billions. Some appeared before the commission with nothing more than a slap on the wrist. Found guilty but no repercussions, punishment, paying back the money or sentencing.
Where’s the Hawks & NPA in everything other crime ?
Let her go rot in jail
The same thing happend in standerton and nothing happend to the fraudsters still doing business as usual
Well said Keith. Many others stole billions of tax payers hard earned cash and have not been brought to book. Jacob Zuma is running around freely after almost giving our beloved country away. Our judicial system needs an overhaul.
Exactly, whether you are black, white, blue, yellow, maroon or whatever, if you commit crime, you must also suffer the consequences. There are whites, Indians, blacks etc in prison for committing crime. Why if it her now some people raise this race thing now. Ay🚮
Yes She is at fault, and will pay for her crime. No need to trash her husband or his position held in the SAPS. Bear in mind he worked abroad for many years. Or did you who had made the comment about her husband not know this.