Janitha van Reenen-Coetzee, an eighth accused in the alleged R9.9 million Emfuleni electricity reconnection fraud, is due back in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate's Court today. She faces charges including theft, fraud, money laundering and tampering with essential infrastructure, and was granted R20,000 bail on 18 September. She is presumed innocent.
Seven other accused, arrested on 21 August, were granted R20,000 bail each on 14 September. The State alleges the municipality lost about R9.9 million; none of the allegations has been tested in court.
What the State alleges
Between February 2024 and June 2026, the State alleges, former municipal employees and subcontractors cut power to businesses and residents with unpaid accounts, offered to reconnect them for payment, then reconnected supplies unlawfully and altered records to show lower balances. The original balances later reappeared, but the illegal connections stayed in place.
Investigator Detective Sergeant Nontobeko Shange said the R9.9 million figure was calculated after examining bank accounts linked to the accused. Six municipal clients were allegedly misled into paying the syndicate instead of the municipality. Emfuleni's acting spokesperson Lucky Shashaoka said the properties involved have about R8.3 million in combined outstanding debt to the municipality, and that the case shows the municipality's systems need strengthening.
Gauteng National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the investigation is ongoing and that more arrests and charges are not ruled out.
Bail and the court record
The charges are fraud, theft, tampering with essential infrastructure and money laundering. The Vanderbijlpark Magistrate's Court granted the seven accused R20,000 bail each on 14 September, with conditions that they attend all court proceedings, live at their stated addresses, report twice a week at the Vanderbijlpark police station, surrender their passports and not leave the country. The State had opposed bail, arguing that the accused could interfere with witnesses because they allegedly still had access to municipal client records; the court found release was in the interests of justice.
Van Reenen-Coetzee was granted R20,000 bail on 18 September. According to one report, she also faces separate charges over an alleged R16 million ghost fleet procurement scheme; we have not confirmed this with a second source. All accused are presumed innocent.
