MTHATHA, Eastern Cape — March 2026
A senior Eastern Cape police officer, Lt-Col Madoda Bidla, 41, has been arrested in connection with alleged theft and misappropriation of state funds and was granted R5,000 bail.
Bidla appeared in the Mthatha specialised commercial crimes court following his arrest on Thursday. The case is being handled jointly by the Mthatha Hawks’ serious commercial crime investigation unit and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
According to Hawks spokesperson W/O Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana, the arrest relates to two counts of theft involving public funds entrusted to the SAPS Academy in Mthatha.
The matter stems from a structured internal financial handover on December 12, 2025, when Bidla took over responsibilities for the academy’s finance section while the previous finance head went on leave.
“During the handover process, two strongroom keys, one safe key, and R60,000 in state funds were officially handed over to Bidla,” Mhlakuvana said.
“The transaction was formally reconciled against financial registers and captured in the Polfin system, with both parties signing the handover certificates.”
Additionally, on December 15, 2025, another officer reportedly deposited R720 in Bidla’s presence from proceeds of perishable groceries after the academy’s festive closure. This amount was also secured under Bidla’s control.
The Hawks allege that on February 9, 2026, when a proper handover was required to return finance duties, Bidla allegedly accessed the safe alone, and R60,720 went missing. Investigators noted no signs of forced entry or damage in the finance office.
The case has been postponed to March 24 to allow Bidla to secure legal representation.
Authorities continue to investigate the incident as part of ongoing efforts to maintain accountability for state funds.
