More arrests possible after Hawks nab 27 in R100m Mpumalanga education fraud case
Nine government officials are among 27 suspects arrested in an investigation into an alleged R100 million scheme involving inflated contracts and undelivered services at the Mpumalanga education department.
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The Hawks have arrested 27 suspects in connection with a fraud, corruption and money-laundering scheme that allegedly siphoned more than R100 million from the Mpumalanga Department of Basic Education.
Those arrested include nine government officials, 14 service providers and four private individuals.
In the early hours of Sunday, February 22, Hawks members in Mpumalanga, supported by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) Tactical Operations Management Section (TOMS), the Tactical Response Team (TRT) and Public Order Policing (POP), carried out a coordinated operation across the province.
The operation targeted 41 identified suspects, including senior government officials and businesspeople believed to be part of an organised network.
According to investigators, the suspects allegedly benefited unlawfully through inflated contracts and payments, substandard services and, in some cases, services that were never rendered.
Authorities said the scheme had the effect of “effectively robbing the people of Mpumalanga, particularly learners of critical resources”.
The operation is ongoing, with teams searching for the remaining suspects.