Saleswoman giving home keys to new property owner. Close up of real estate agent hand giving house keys to indian man. Agent giving apartment key to new owner after putting the word sold on for sale sign outside the house.
Several Ekurhuleni residents claiming to have been defrauded by a recently arrested dodgy lawyer have come forward and vowed to testify against her.
Lerato Ramanyimi and her husband Nicolus Ramanyimi are accused of defrauding unsuspecting property buyers.
Couple faces fraud charges in court
They were arrested after a number people opened fraud cases against her for allegedly posing as a lawyer assisting in the house-buying process, with some of the money allegedly deposited into her husband’s account.
The couple, who face six counts of fraud, appeared briefly in court last week, and the case was postponed to tomorrow in the Benoni Magistrate’s Court for a formal bail application.
The Citizen has been reliably informed another self-proclaimed lawyer and two estate agents were also arrested at the weekend, and will also be appear in court tomorrow.
It is alleged Lerato Ramanyimi convinced potential buyers to deposit money, but would later tell clients the houses were no longer being sold and she would disappear without returning the money.
Alleged victims speak out
After Ramanyimi’s arrest, about 20 people claiming to have been defrauded by her contacted The Citizen and related their painful experiences.
Mpho Khanye from Tsakani township in Springs told The Citizen yesterday: “We are ready to come forward and testify against that woman.
“I was retrenched and then, in March last year, I started looking for a house to buy and a woman who claimed to be an estate agent introduced me to Lerato.
“They took me to the house, and I told them I would like to buy it. Then they took me to the offices of PH Executors in Benoni, where we finalised the offer to purchase and related processes.
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“When they told me the house was no longer available, I asked them to return my money.
“They keep on promising to refund the total amount of R112 000 I paid. I paid a service fee of R12 000 to PH Executors’ trust accounts and R100 000 to a bank account they said belonged to the owner of the house.”
Khanye said after she posted her story on social media, PH Executors owner Phineus Tsotetsi called her and asked her to remove the damaging posts, and also withdraw the fraud case that she opened at Tsakani police station.
Disputed payments and denials
She said Tsotetsi paid back the R12 500 and promised to settle the other amount if she stopped talking badly about his company.
“In December, I received R5 000 from an unknown account. When I phoned Tsotetsi he confirmed he deposited the money and promised to settle the balance in January. When I contacted him, he said he would no longer pay because I continued to talk to journalists about the issue.”
The Citizen has seen the proof of payment showing that Tsotetsi paid back the service fee and the additional R5 000.
When contacted for comment, Tsotetsi denied his company was involved in a fraudulent housing scheme.
“PH Executors wishes to state, clearly and unequivocally it is not involved in any fraudulent activities. We are an innocent party in this matter and, like the complainants, are victims of the alleged actions of Lerato Ramanyimi. We are prepared to cooperate fully with any official investigation, as we have nothing to hide.”
However, bank records obtained from Ramanyimi by one of the complainants showed on 1 April, 2025, PH Executors paid her R12 000, while another payment of R7 000 was made on 4 April, 2025.
Mamorena Maroala, who alleged Ramanyimi defrauded her of R170 000, said she was also willing to testify.
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“She sold me a house that belongs to somebody and when we went there, we found the man who was occupying the house was surprised because he was not aware his house had been sold.”
Gauteng police spokesperson Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said the police in Tsakani were busy investigating Khanye and Maroala’s cases.
Buyers urged to conduct due diligence
Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority (PPRA) spokesperson Lindani Tshabalala has advised consumers to conduct proper due diligence before entering into any property-related transactions and before handing over any money.
Tshabalala said, as a minimum, consumers must ensure:
- The person they are dealing with is in possession of a valid and current Fidelity Fund Certificate (FFC) issued by the PPRA;
- The person is employed by a firm registered with the PPRA, holds a valid FFC and operates a valid trust account with a recognised banking institution;
- No payments into personal bank accounts; all money must be paid into a registered firm’s trust account; and
- No business is conducted with anyone who cannot produce an FFC on request.
These details can be verified by contacting the PPRA directly on 087-285-3222.
Complaints may lodged with the PPRA by submitting a complaint form to legal@theppra.org.za or online via the online legal complaint.
“PPRA encourages consumers who believe they may have been affected by unlawful property practices to report the matter without delay.
“Vigilance and verification remain critical in preventing fraud and protecting consumers,” Tshabalala said.
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