A former Standard Bank IT operator accused of embezzling more than R1.9 million from the bank has been granted bail.

Vivian Brink, 60, made his first court appearance on Tuesday, a day after he was arrested at his home in Rosettenville. Brink was arrested on Monday, January 12, and faces charges of theft and fraud.

He was granted bail of R5,000 during his first appearance. The case was postponed to February 3 and remanded to the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.

Hawks Allege Overdraft System was Manipulated

The Hawks say the alleged crimes happened over several years while Brink worked for Standard Bank as an IT operator.

According to Hawks spokesperson Thatohatsi Mavimbela, Brink is accused of manipulating the system linked to his own bank account by increasing his overdraft for personal gain. Mavimbela said the alleged conduct caused the bank an “actual loss of over R1.9 million”.

The Hawks allege the offences occurred between January 2014 and November 2017. No further details were provided about how the alleged manipulation was detected, or whether any funds have been recovered.

What Happens Next in the Case

Brink will return to court on February 3 when the matter continues in the specialised commercial crimes court, which typically deals with complex financial and fraud-related cases.

For now, the Hawks say the investigation is still ongoing. That could mean more information is placed before court at a later stage as investigators finalise their work and compile evidence for prosecutors.

The case has also put fresh focus on how insider access and system knowledge can be abused when oversight fails, especially where staff can influence account settings linked to lending products like overdrafts.