Charmaine Ndlela
The Mpumalanga Department of Education said on Sunday it was monitoring developments after the arrests of 23 people, including senior government officials, in a R114 million corruption case involving the department.
“As the matter is now before the courts, the department respects the judicial process and regards the case as sub judice. The department will therefore refrain from commenting on the merits of the case at this stage, while closely monitoring all developments,” it said.
The arrests, carried out by the Hawks in Nelspruit on Sunday morning, form part of an operation targeting 41 suspects implicated in alleged corruption, theft and fraud related to government tenders for emergency school repairs dating back to 2018. One of the suspects has since died.
Among those arrested are government officials and service providers allegedly linked to the irregular tender processes within the department. A search and investigative operations were also carried out at the home of a Barberton pastor believed to be connected to the scheme.
Mpumalanga Hawks head, Major General Nico Gerber, confirmed that the operation was being conducted across four provinces, including Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Limpopo and the Western Cape.
“Some of the suspects moved from Mpumalanga to other provinces since 2020. You have to understand that proving a case like this is not easy,” he said at a press briefing on Sunday morning.
Those arrested are expected to appear in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Monday, where they will face charges of corruption, theft and fraud.
The Hawks said investigations remain ongoing as they work to apprehend the remaining suspects and fully uncover the extent of the alleged tender corruption.
The department said it was committed to ethical governance, transparency, and accountability, and “maintains a zero-tolerance on any form of corruption or maladministration”.
“Should the need arise, the Department will fully cooperate with law enforcement agencies to ensure that due process unfolds without hindrance,” it said.
INSIDE EDUCATION
