The South African State Theatre in Pretoria is reportedly probing several of its employees it suspects of defrauding it of more than R20m.

According to the Pretoria News, the fraudulent activities were brought to the attention of the facility's management after an alert from Absa on December 10, 2019. This after a staff member in the finance department allegedly tampered with payment documents and the electronic banking system.

The paper reported the case had been reported to the police. 

SowetanLive reported the employees were allegedly diverting funds into their own bank accounts as well as those of others.

They are alleged to have defrauded the facility for more than five years and were caught following an undercover investigation.

Among others, the probe uncovered those involved were an employee in the finance department and another in supply chain management.

State Theatre chief executive Dr Sibongiseni Mkhize told the Pretoria News the employees allegedly used to boast about not fearing being caught for their deeds because the chief financial officer and chief executive were the final approvers and would subsequently be the ones facing the music should the modus operandi be revealed. 

Mkhize added he believed more officials would be implicated in the fraud case, saying in addition to the criminal case, the facility would also be pursuing other legal measures to recover the stolen money. 

- Compiled by Sesona Ngqakamba