A 45-year-old funeral parlour employee appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court, where she was granted bail of R30,000 after allegedly defrauding clients of more than R500,000.
Ponatsego Anna Ngwenya, a general manager at Royal Funerals in Soshanguve, Tshwane, is accused of misleading clients into taking out funeral policies and diverting their payments into her personal bank account.
According to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana, Ngwenya allegedly told clients that the company’s payment system was offline in some instances, prompting them to make cash payments directly to her.
“The alleged fraud came to light when the company identified that several client policies had lapsed,” said Mahanjana.
The situation raised concerns within the company, which then contacted affected clients to address the policy lapses. It was during these engagements that clients revealed they had made payments directly to Ngwenya, believing they were settling their accounts legitimately.
The matter was subsequently reported to the police, leading to an investigation and Ngwenya’s arrest on April 15.
During her court appearance, the state did not oppose bail, citing that Ngwenya was not considered a flight risk. The case has been postponed to June 9 for further proceedings.
The NPA has reaffirmed its commitment to holding individuals accountable for financial crimes and safeguarding the public from exploitation.
This case highlights ongoing concerns about trust and accountability within the funeral services sector, where clients often make payments under emotionally vulnerable circumstances.
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