We use cookies and data to
- Deliver and maintain Google services
- Track outages and protect against spam, fraud and abuse
- Measure audience engagement and site statistics to understand how our services are used and enhance the quality of those services
If you choose to ‘Accept all’, we will also use cookies and data to
- Develop and improve new services
- Deliver and measure the effectiveness of ads
- Show personalised content, depending on your settings
- Show personalised ads, depending on your settings
If you choose to ‘Reject all’, we will not use cookies for these additional purposes.
Non-personalised content and ads are influenced by things like the content that you’re currently viewing and your location (ad serving is based on general location). Personalised content and ads can also include things like video recommendations, a customised YouTube homepage and tailored ads based on past activity,…
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