Themba Mathibe
Johannesburg Social Housing Company (JoshCo) chief executive Themba Mathibe was granted R50 000 bail at the Alexandra Magistrates Court on Wednesday after his arrest on money laundering charges earlier in the week.
Following an extensive investigation into allegations of procurement irregularities at the company, the South African Police Service cold case unit and the Special Task Force effected an arrest after Mathibe was found with a substantial amount of money at his home, police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said.
The team was acting on a J51 search-and-seizure warrant, during which the accused’s home and offices were raided.
“The accused has already appeared before the Alexandra Magistrates Court and has been granted R50 000 bail. Investigations continue, and the possibility of effecting more arrests cannot be ruled out at this stage,” Mathe said.
On Tuesday, JoshCo spokesperson Nthabiseng Mphela said some employees had been questioned by law-enforcement authorities at the company’s head office on Monday, adding that the organisation respected the rule of law and the presumption of innocence, and legal processes should be allowed to unfold without interference.
In a statement on Wednesday, Democratic Alliance (DA) Johannesburg caucus leader Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku said the party was deeply troubled by the recent police raid at JoshCo offices, which was intended to gather information on allegedly irregular contracts.
Kayser-Echeozonjoku said this was not an isolated incident and came against the backdrop of serious governance concerns the DA has raised for years — including warnings about dubious appointments, a lack of transparency, and a culture of cadre deployment that prioritises political loyalty over competence and accountability.
“In 2024, the DA revealed information about a ‘cadre deployment web of corruption’ at JoshCo, where a suspended chief operating officer, who was also an ANCYL NEC [national executive committee] member, was quietly moved into another senior role despite concerns about corruption and maladministration. Staff who raised issues were reportedly intimidated,” she said.
She said the city must provide transparent answers to residents about how Mathibe was appointed, release all recruitment and vetting documentation for public scrutiny, as permitted by law, support law enforcement fully and without obstruction and recommit to merit-based, transparent governance across all city entities.