MPUMALANGA – A total of 27 suspects were arrested on Sunday in connection with massive fraud, corruption, and a money-laundering scheme that allegedly siphoned more than R100 million from the Mpumalanga Department of Basic Education.
In the early hours of Sunday 22 February, a coordinated takedown took place across the province. The operation targeted 41 identified suspects, among them senior government officials and business people believed to have played key roles in the organised criminal network.
The 27 suspects who were arrested include nine government officials, 14 service providers, and four private individuals. Of these, 21 were arrested in Mpumalanga, four in Gauteng, one in Limpopo, and one in the Western Cape.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi, spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), members of the Hawks were supported by members of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation’s Tactical Operations Management Section, Tactical Response Team, and Public Order Policing in this coordinated effort.
The suspects are alleged to have unlawfully benefitted through inflated contracts and payments, sub-standard services, and in some instances, services that were never rendered, effectively robbing the people of Mpumalanga, particularly learners, of critical resources, Nkosi stated.
Recognising the scale and reach of the syndicate, the Hawks extended the operation beyond provincial borders, with members in Limpopo, Gauteng, and the Western Cape assisting in executing arrest warrants.
The operation remains ongoing, with teams actively pursuing the remaining suspects to ensure that all those implicated are arrested.
The provincial head of the Hawks in Mpumalanga, Major General Nico Gerber, commended the members and supporting units for their professionalism and dedication.
“This operation sends a clear and unequivocal message: the Hawks will not tolerate the looting of public funds. Those who steal from the state are stealing from our communities, our children, and our future. We remain resolute in ensuring that every individual involved is held accountable,” said Gerber.
All arrested suspects are expected to appear before the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Monday 23rd February.
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