Two people have been arrested, one of them a journalist for Media24 and the other an employee of a car hire company, and are set to face 140 charges of fraud.
The charges relate to allegedly fraudulent documents issued to employ drag queen and whistleblower, Queeny Madikizela-Malema, as a ghost writer.
'OFFERED A JOB': Queeny Madikizela-Malema
Queeny, aka Sylvano Hendricks, was convicted of fraud and released on parole in 2014.
She is also believed to have links to gang bosses, top cops and local politicians.
The duo, a 41-year-old man from Portlands and a 40-year-old woman from Parow, were arrested on Thursday, 11 January.
The man, who cannot be named, was arrested in Epping while the woman was arrested at her workplace at Media24 on the Foreshore.
Police swarmed the newsroom and arrested the woman at her desk and she was escorted out of the building in handcuffs, witnesses revealed.
They will be making their first appearance at the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
Cops believe the two issued fraudulent working schedules to the Department of Correctional Services for Queeny, as a writer.
This, police say, gave Queenie free reign to commit crime in the Western Cape.
The said crimes have yet to be revealed.
Police sources reveal more arrests are on the cards, including that of a senior cop.
Police spokesperson, Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana, explains the arrests come after an intense year-long investigation.
“During an intelligence-led operation, two suspects were arrested in Epping and in Cape Town, following an investigation that started on 25 January 2017,” she says.
“It is alleged the suspects issued fraudulent working schedule documents to the Department of Correctional Services, indicating that a parolee was employed by them.
“This allowed the parolee free movement within the Western Cape to commit crime.
“At 2:30pm a 41-year-old man, residing in Portlands, was arrested at a business premises in Epping.
“Simultaneously a 40-year-old woman from Parow was arrested at a media house in Cape Town.
“The arrested suspects will appear in Cape Town Magistrate's Court on Monday, 15 January, on 140 fraud charges.
“The Provincial Commissioner of the Western Cape, Lieutenant General Khombinkosi Jula, said: "It remains one of the priorities of the SAPS to root out all forms of corruption”.
Police sources reveal Queeny was allegedly given employment by the staff member of Media24 under the pretence of being a writer.
Queeny was arrested in December 2016 after she contravened her parole conditions while staying at a secret location outside of Cape Town, fearing her own life.
She was convicted of fraud after operating a pyramid scheme on the Cape Flats and was accused of theft after she failed to pay a R87 000 bill at a guesthouse owned by Jacques de Bruyn, and stealing his wife’s car.
She also became known as a whistleblower when she claimed top cop, Major General Jeremy Vearey, was corrupt and worked with gangsters in an affidavit given to MEC Dan Plato - which was later leaked to the media.
Vearey hit back, saying Plato was waging a propaganda campaign against him and denied the allegations, saying he was not a fallen mapoosa (cop) and added that the rumours placed his life in danger and threatened his career.
Queeny told the Daily Voice today he was not allowed to speak to the media about the allegations and that he had already served his time in jail, adding that it was time for those who were involved to “bad” (go down) also.
Colleen Rainers, the General Manager of Media24, said the company would only comment after the matter has gone to court.
“There is no comment at this moment.