How a Tshwane family blew R5.7m UIF cash meant for 1,400 workers

New tombstones and cafe renovations: this is how the family of a 25-year-old Pretoria warehouse worker blew through some of the R5.7m in Covid-19 relief funds irregularly paid into his personal bank account by the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).

Tshepang Phohole also gave millions of rand to his father, sister, brother-in-law and girlfriend in what the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) says was a bid to launder the cash.

The UIF inexplicably paid the money — meant for 1,400 workers from labour brokerage CSG Resources — into Phohole’s personal account...