A former senior Mpumalanga education department official is among dozens of suspects arrested on Sunday in a Hawks operation in connection with alleged tender fraud and corruption totalling R114m.
The Hawks’ Mpumalanga spokesperson, Colonel Magonseni Nkosi, said the investigation arose from alleged tender fraud and corruption dating back to 2018.
The official, who cannot be named until he appears in court on Monday, was found asleep at his home in Barberton when the Hawks pounced.
Before his arrest, the Hawks first went to the house of a well-known pastor who is believed to be a service provider. However, he was not home.
The pastor’s wife was heard crying inside the house as police inquired about his whereabouts, while children wandered around the huge yard which has a water fountain and soccer pitch.
According to Nkosi, one suspect was arrested in Cape Town and seven were set to be arrested in Gauteng.
Three would be arrested in Limpopo.
“So far, we have arrested one suspect who is a former acting head of the education department.
“A service provider who is also a pastor was not found in his house, but we managed to reach him on the phone and advised him to hand himself over at the nearest police station.
“We are locating other suspects in Barberton, Matsulu, Kanyamazane, Nelspruit and other places.
“We believe we are going to have about 41 people, including former and current government officials and businesspeople and entities, by the end of the day, and the suspects are expected to appear in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Monday,” Nkosi said. — Sowetan