09/12/2025
Gogo handed her self to the Hawks for selling rotten food
A 75-year-old Mpumalanga woman handed herself over to the Hawks for her alleged involvement in the repacking and selling of rotten, expired food for human consumption at Mpumalanga farm, Charl Cilliers near Secunda to an unsuspecting public.
According to Hawks spokesperson Col Magonseni Nkosi said Wilhemina Jacoba, has surrendered to the Hawks for her alleged role in an operation that repackaged and sold rotten, expired food to the public. She and a second suspect, Phakamani Hlongwane (36), turned themselves in after being linked to pig farmer Pieter Grobler (31) and his relatives Mark (29) and Sonnet Lombard (46), who were arrested in February.
The group is accused of contravening the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics, and Disinfectants Act, as well as corruption, fraud, and money laundering. Investigators say Grobler collected expired and condemned food from retailers under the pretense of feeding it to pigs, then repackaged it for human consumers. During his arrest, vehicles, cool rooms, and large quantities of spoiled food were seized and disposed of.
An employee on the farm alleged the illegal practice was a long-standing family business that Grobler inherited from his late father. The Hawks say their investigation will continue until everyone involved is held accountable.
