Latest accused in KPMG fraud case worked for presidency

Dikeledi Moema, 66, who has become the latest accused in the KPMG fraud and money laundering case for allegedly receiving almost R560,000 from her accused son, is a former high-level bureaucrat. 

Moema, who appeared in the Palm Ridge magistrate's court in Ekurhuleni yesterday, is a former chief director in the presidency. The state alleges that her account was used by her son, Fidelis, to siphon money meant for needy students who were beneficiaries of KPMG's bursary scheme.  

Moema walked into the court, clutching a walking stick with her face covered with a mask, before she sat on the dock while Fidelis, a former KMPG bursary specialist, sat behind her. She was draped in a colourful blanket.

Just a month ago, Moema was the one sitting behind her son when he was applying for bail in the R16.6m money laundering case for allegedly using his friends and girlfriend to misdirect funds meant for bursary recipients. The state alleges that Fidelis would instead of paying university fees on behalf of students, pay the money into the bank accounts of companies belonging to friends. The friends would then pay him back the money and keep some of it. 

The state alleges that his mother also benefited from the scheme where money was allegedly deposited into her bank account. She joins two accused, Trevor Machimana and Tshwane metro police officer Lebogang Sigubudu. The accused face more than 400 charges, including fraud and money laundering.

In her bail application yesterday, Moema asked that the state consider that she was a sickly and elderly woman and that she struggles to make ends me to support her grandchildren. However, the state dismissed this, claiming that Moema lived a life of luxury as a pensioner. Moema has worked in the government for more than 20 years.

According to her LinkedIn account, Moema claims that her last job was being chief director in the presidency from 2011 to present. She also claims to have worked as the head of transformation at the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) between 2002 and 2011. Before then she claims to have been the director at the department of water affairs and forestry.

Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya confirmed Dikeledi was a staffer in the office but said she resigned a “long time ago”.

“Sometimes when people leave their places of employment, they fail to update their CVs and online profiles just like in this case. I can confirm she resigned a long time ago,” said Magwenya.

A company search by Sowetan also revealed that she has three companies registered in her name which include a construction firm and a consulting company all based in the Tshwane area. The companies were registered between 2005 and 2022. None of her registered companies have a public profile on the internet. Her last company was registered three months before Fidelis's alleged theft from KPMG occurred in November 2022. According to the state, he started stealing from his employer in October 2019. 

Moema further claims to have studied BA honours in social policy at the universities of Liverpool and York in Britain between 1988 and 1990. She gave birth to Fidelis in the UK in 1993 before she moved to America in the early 1990s.

Moema was granted R25,000 bail and she and the three other accused are expected back in court next month. 

"All the accused will appear in the same court on July 1 after the court remanded the case for the state to disclose contents of the dockets," said NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwana.