2 former GWK employees in court for corruption, fraud, money laundering

JOHANNESBURG - One of the country's biggest agricultural companies, GWK, has reported its employees for a case of corruption, fraud and money laundering.

GWK operates in five provinces in the country, turning over millions in profits from operations in other areas of food supply such as food processing, logistics and fuel stations.

Employees of the company are accused of soliciting almost a million rand.

The three suspects that were arrested appeared at the Prieska Magistrates Court in Northern Cape on Thursday.

During the year of the global pandemic, in 2020, Schalk Pienaar, worked as a supervisor at the fuel station when he fraudulently registered his wife, Leolene, as a supplier. 

With the help of administrator, Patricia Booysen, they falsified invoices, defrauding the company of over R700,000. 

Upon revelation, Pienaar resigned from work while Booysen was fired. 

Northern Cape Hawks spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Tebogo Thebe, said that the court had released the suspects on bail. 

"All three accused persons were granted bail of R1,000 for Mr and Mrs Pienaar, while Ms Booysen was granted bail of R300."

The matter was remanded to 12 February 2025.