This week on At Issue, Tom Hauser discusses Gov. Tim Walz’s proposal to overhaul fraud in the state, Republicans’ plans to boost affordability, and recent reporting from 5 INVESTIGATES, which reveals a link between fraud in state grant money and a Minnesota school district.
Gov. Tim Walz’s proposal to overhaul Minnesota’s largest agency targets fraud and aims to improve efficiency by changing Medicaid management.
Republicans oppose the plan, citing past failures from the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), but Walz said some ideas came from lawmakers. The proposal will be vetted in both legislative chambers.
RELATED: Walz shares plan to ‘transform’ largest Minnesota state agency, combat fraud
Also, House Republicans have proposed bills for affordability, including tax cuts and single-subject measures.
They aim to lower license tab fees and eliminate a delivery tax; a tax…
THE ISUZU MOTORS PAYROLL FRAUD (GQEBERHA, SA)
Date: February 16, 2026 Perpetrator: Natasja Slabbert (42)
Case Description: In a case that hit home for the Eastern Cape business community, Natasja Slabbert, a payroll administrator at Isuzu Motors South Africa’s Struandale plant, was arrested for an alleged R10.5 million fraud. The scheme, which began surfacing in late 2024, exploited the very systems designed to manage employee compensation. Slabbert allegedly manipulated payroll records to create false entries that appeared as legitimate deductions and contributions on employee payslips. In reality, these “deductions” were being diverted into her personal bank account.
The fraud was only uncovered after diligent employees noticed that their net “take-home” pay was significantly lower than expected, despite the gross amounts on their payslips remaining high. Following a thorough probe by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team and the NPA’s Specialised Commercial Crime Unit, it was discovered that in August 2024 alone, over R626,000 was unlawfully transferred. Slabbert was granted bail of R5,000 on February 17, 2026, and the case has been postponed to later in the month for further legal proceedings. This case highlights the critical need for “segregation of duties” in payroll departments, as a single point of failure allowed for the systematic siphoning of millions over nearly two years.
Link to Original: PE Express – Isuzu Payroll Fraud