Klerksdorp, South Africa — In a significant ruling that underscores the consequences of public sector corruption, former Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality manager, Advocate Abbey Dlavane (61), has been sentenced to five years of direct imprisonment by the Klerksdorp Magistrates’ Court.
Dlavane was found guilty of theft and contravening Section 173 of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), following a lengthy investigation into financial misconduct during his tenure from January 2009 to March 2020. The court sentenced him to five years for theft and an additional three years for the MFMA violation — the latter sentence suspended for five years.
According to evidence presented in court, Dlavane instructed the municipality’s credit controller to issue a cheque for R550,000 to Kumekucha Investment, a company he owned. The payment was fraudulently authorized for services that were never rendered.
Magistrate’s comments during sentencing emphasized the breach of public trust and the gravity of abusing authority for personal gain. The prosecution praised the verdict as a “win for clean governance and financial accountability.”
The case serves as a stark reminder of the vigilance required in managing public funds, and the importance of prosecuting those who abuse their positions for self-enrichment.
