Frequently Asked Questions

Reach out through the contact form or by phone, and briefly describe what you're seeing. There's no need to have it all figured out first, the initial conversation is where we work out what's actually going on and what, if anything, needs to happen next.

Yes. Confidentiality applies from the first phone call or message, not just once a formal engagement begins.

A suspicion is enough. Most engagements start with a client who knows something feels wrong but doesn't yet have proof, that's precisely what an initial investigation is for.

Our founder, Zimasa Nzimande, is a Certified Fraud Examiner with 13 years investigating fraud, corruption and maladministration from inside institutions built specifically to catch it, including the Human Rights Commission and the Public Protector. That's a different starting point to general investigative work.

Every investigation follows the same certified methodology and standard she built the practice on. Direct personal involvement in a specific case depends on its scope and complexity, this is clarified during the initial assessment.

No. We work across the public sector, corporates, SMEs, non-profits, and insurance and underwriting clients, applying the same standard of investigation regardless of the size of the client.

Broadly: if something has already happened, start with Investigations. If you want to verify a person, vendor, or deal before committing to it, that's Prevention & Risk Advisory. If a loss has already been confirmed and you need to recover it or take action, that's Recovery & Resolution. Our Services page breaks this down further, or you can just tell us what's going on and we'll point you the right way.

Yes, this is common. A case frequently starts as an Investigation, moves into Recovery & Resolution once findings are confirmed, and can also lead into Prevention & Risk Advisory to close whatever gap allowed it to happen.

Not with EL Firm. One team carries a case from initial assessment through investigation, recovery, and any legal or disciplinary support it requires, rather than handing it off between separate providers at each stage.

Cost depends on the scope and complexity of the specific case, there's no fixed rate that applies across every engagement. The initial assessment gives a clear picture of scope before you commit to anything.

It varies significantly depending on how much documentation exists and how many people are involved. You'll get a realistic, case-specific timeline after the initial assessment rather than a generic estimate.

EL Firm is headquartered in Umhlanga Ridge, Durban, and works across KwaZulu-Natal as our core area, while also handling cases nationally in Gauteng, the Western Cape, and beyond, plus cross-border work where a case requires it.

Yes. Every investigation follows a Certified Fraud Examiner's methodology specifically so findings can withstand scrutiny in whichever forum the case ends up in, not just as an internal report.

No. Confidentiality is built into the process from the very first step, so evidence and witness accounts aren't compromised before you're ready to act.

Yes. Because findings are delivered by the investigator who actually did the work, testimony reflects firsthand knowledge of the case rather than a secondhand summary.