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Ghost workers used to loot R19m in Ters fraud

Dailydispatch · · 568 words · By Nandi Ntini
Covid-19 Relief Mismanagement Government accountability Financial Fraud
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What to know about Covid-19 Relief Mismanagement

Only a R74 balance remained in Nikluis Manuel’s bank account five years after he used 662 ghost workers to claim R19.1m for Covid-19 employee relief fund.

Claims checked 12
Techniques found 2
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center100%
Right0%

7 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Only a R74 balance remained in Nikluis Manuel’s bank account five years after he used 662 ghost workers to claim R19.1m for Covid-19 employee relief fund.

Why it matters

Manuel allegedly used bogus documents to swindle the Temporary Employee-Employer Relief Scheme (Ters) during the outbreak of Covid-19.

Common ground

Ters was meant to enable the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) to assist employers to pay their employees who have no income or lost some income during the pandemic.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.dailydispatch.co.za/news/2026-04-15-ghost-workers-used-to-loot-r19m-…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Name Calling / Labeling 70% confidence
Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 12 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

info Single Source 5
check_circle Corroborated 3
schedule Pending 2
help Insufficient Evidence 2
schedule
Claim 1: “When a Sowetan team visited the company’s offices in Sunninghill, northern Johannesburg, we learnt that the “business” had vacated the building about four years ago.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info
Claim 2: “Only a R74 balance remained in Nikluis Manuel’s bank account five years after he used 662 ghost workers to claim R19.1m for Covid-19 employee relief fund.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The specific detail about the R74 balance and the R19.1m claim using 662 ghost workers appears in one web search result. While the fraud is mentioned in other sources, the specific bank balance detail is not corroborated by a second independent source.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Only a R74 balance remained in Nikluis Manuel’s bank account five years after he used 662 ghost workers to claim R19.1m for Covid-19 employee relief fund.
https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2026-04-15-gho…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The Unemployment Insurance Fund will open and begin processing the July/August Covid-19 Temporal Employee Relief Scheme Benefits applications from Monday, 17 August 2020.
https://www.labour.gov.za/uif-to-start-opening-and-processin…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — CNN's Alisyn Camerota speaks with Jodi Doering, a nurse from South Dakota who says some of her coronavirus patients often don't want to believe that Covid-19...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WicsWfTm1ZI
info
Claim 3: “The company was only registered as a business in May 2023.”
SINGLE SOURCE
One source mentions payments to Mgobo between April 2022 and May 2023 in the context of Nakomang Trading Enterprise CC, but it does not explicitly state the company was only registered in May 2023. Other results are generic business listings.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Ezogu Trading (Pty) Ltd. Nakomang Trading Enterprise CC.In addition, Ezikamshalaza Trading allegedly made multiple payments to Mgobo between April 2022 and May 2023. The SIU detailed the transaction f…
https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/3906670-siu-f…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Welcome to the home of Nakomang Trading Enterprise. Ke nako…IT’s time! Let us build your dream home. Be sure to get top quality services from us guaranteed from building, plastering, paving, roofing,p…
https://www.nakomangtrading.co.za/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Construction company Nakomang Trading Enterprise Cc Sandton, Kikuyu Road, 6, +27 11 036 12 15. Get directions in Yandex Maps. Business hours unknown. Add. Edit information.
https://yandex.com/maps/org/nakomang_trading_enterprise_cc/1…
info
Claim 4: “his company, NakoMang Trading Enterprise CC, had not been registered when it applied and received the first Ters amount of R22,234,80 in May 2020.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided web search results for this claim are completely irrelevant (referring to the Detroit Lions NFL team) and do not provide information about NakoMang Trading Enterprise CC's registration status in May 2020.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Detroit Lions Home: The official source of the latest Lions headlines, news, videos, photos, tickets, rosters, and gameday information.
https://www.detroitlions.com/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Follow the Detroit Lions with the latest news, live game updates, roster moves, full schedule, stats, standings, and player coverage — all from Sports Illustrated.
https://www.si.com/nfl/lions
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Get the latest Detroit Lions news. Find news, video, standings, scores and schedule information for the Detroit Lions
https://www.nfl.com/teams/detroit-lions/
info
Claim 5: “UIF made 11 deposits into Manuel’s bank account from May 2020 until October 2023.”
SINGLE SOURCE
While sources confirm that fraudulent claims totaling R19.1 million were made and that Manuel used the funds, none of the provided evidence specifies that exactly '11 deposits' were made between May 2020 and October 2023.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Business owner, Nikluis Manuel. The SIU has obtained preservation orders from the Special Tribunal over assets worth millions, after its investigation into fraudulent claims amounting to R19,183,197.3…
https://www.sowetan.co.za/news/2026-04-16-shell-company-flee…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The SIU’s investigation revealed that Mr Nikluis Manuel, director of Nako Mang, purchased vehicles in cash immediately after UIF disbursements and retained portions of the funds as “commission.”
https://www.siu.org.za/siu-secures-preservation-orders-in-an…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The SIU further alleges that the company’s director, Nikluis Manuel, used the fraudulently obtained funds to purchase vehicles in cash shortly after UIF payments were made. A portion of the funds was …
https://www.atnews.co.za/siu-freezes-assets-in-r19m-uif-ters…
info
Claim 6: “Manuel transferred over R570,000 to [Khanyi Angel Nokukhanya] to facilitate the purchase of an apartment in Turfontein in October 2023.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The detail regarding the transfer of over R570,000 to Khanyi Angel Nokukhanya for a Turfontein apartment is mentioned in one specific source. Other results for this claim are irrelevant (NPR, YouTube).
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Nikluis Manuel’s company was registered three years after he had already received more than R19m in employee relief funds for 662 workers he did not have. Manuel’s company Nakomang Enterprise CC is at…
https://www.sowetan.co.za/news/2026-04-16-shell-company-flee…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Sponsor Message. Scientists have detected more than 900 drug ingredients in natural waterways around the world, from antibiotics to antidepressants. Many of these drugs, especially ones that act on th…
https://www.npr.org/2025/04/14/nx-s1-5359433/anxiety-drugs-f…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Bookstores have always driven me crazy. So much to read and so little time! And now with our lives chock full of CONTENT--Netlflix, podcasts, social media, Y...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIW5jBrrsS0
check_circle
Claim 7: “The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) was recently granted a preservation order by the Special Tribunal to recoup the money from Manuel and his associates”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources confirm that the SIU obtained preservation orders from the Special Tribunal to recover funds from Manuel and his associates.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The SIU was recently granted a preservation order by the Special Tribunal to recoup the money from Manuel and his associates, who include his partner Khanyi Angel Nokukhanya, to whom Manuel transferre…
https://www.sowetan.co.za/news/2026-04-16-shell-company-flee…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — SIU secured a tribunal order freezing assets linked to UIF fraud, including properties and vehicles, to prevent disposal."Instead of paying workers as required, the funds were diverted into personal a…
https://www.jacarandafm.com/news/news/siu-secures-preservati…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The SIU has secured preservation orders to freeze assets worth millions of rand, as part of efforts to recover more than R19 million allegedly defrauded from the UIF through the COVID-19 TERS Scheme.
https://www.atnews.co.za/siu-freezes-assets-in-r19m-uif-ters…
check_circle
Claim 8: “SIU spokesperson Selby Makgotho said the case forms part of a much broader probe into fraudulent claims linked to Ters, with the overall value of R148m.”
CORROBORATED
Two independent sources confirm that SIU spokesperson Selby Makgotho linked this case to a broader probe into fraudulent TERS claims totaling approximately R148 million.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The SIU intends to recover losses suffered by the UIF, which total more than R148.4 million across multiple entities implicated in fraudulent TERS claims. SIU spokesperson Selby Makgotho said the move…
https://www.atnews.co.za/siu-freezes-assets-in-r19m-uif-ters…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — More Than R18 Million Allegedly Funnelled Through Accounts. According to the SIU, investigations revealed that Mgobo received a total of approximately R18 632 335 through personal and business account…
https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/3906670-siu-f…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — SIU spokesperson Selby Makgotho said the case forms part of a much broader probe into fraudulent claims linked to Ters, with the overall value of R148m.
https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2026-04-15-gho…
help
Claim 9: “Manuel submitted fraudulent application on behalf of 662 ghost employees.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was provided for this specific claim in the search results.
check_circle
Claim 10: “Ters was meant to enable the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) to assist employers to pay their employees who have no income or lost some income during the pandemic.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web sources confirm that the TERS scheme was designed to assist employers in paying employees who lost income during the pandemic.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — In the United States, a 401(k) plan is an employer-sponsored, defined-contribution, personal pension (savings) account, as defined in subsection 401(k) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Periodic empl…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/401(k)
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Employee Retention Credit (ERC), sometimes called the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC), is a U.S. federal tax credit that was available to certain employers, most recently during the COVID-19 …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employee_Retention_Credit
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — A furlough (; from Dutch: verlof, "leave of absence") is a temporary cessation of paid employment that is intended to address the problems of a company or employer; these problems may be due to econom…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furlough
+ 3 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 11: “The SIU has since submitted criminal referrals to the NPA for further action.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
help
Claim 12: “the company did not have a single employee and did not comply with legal requirements and was effectively “none-existent”.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was provided for this specific claim in the search results.
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.