36 arrested as Mpumalanga Hawks close in on school maintenance looting syndicate

The Head of the Hawks in Mpumalanga has confirmed that more suspects accused of defrauding the Department of Education will appear in court on Tuesday.

This follows the arrest of three additional individuals today.

These latest arrests follow closely after three other suspects joined their co-accused in the dock earlier on Monday morning.

The group appeared before the Mbombela Magistrate's Court on a range of charges, including fraud, theft, and money laundering.

During proceedings, the court focused on the bail applications of four accused individuals cited as having serious health conditions.

Despite the State's allegations that these suspects played a significant role in the tender scheme, they were granted bail ranging from R5,000 to R50,000.

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The State alleges the group orchestrated a fraudulent emergency repair and maintenance tender for 21 schools back in 2018. However, instead of the schools receiving the necessary upgrades, the R113 million allocated for the project was systematically looted.

Mpumalanga Hawks Head, General Nico Gerber, noted that the investigation is reaching its final stages regarding the primary targets.

“I can just update that we’ve now arrested 36 of the 40 individuals we are looking for. Tomorrow, there will be an additional three people appearing in court,” Gerber stated.

He further clarified that the 40 individuals will be charged alongside the specific entities and companies that benefited from the diverted funds.

Gerber expressed confidence in the prosecution, stating that years of meticulous investigation have resulted in a solid case for the State.

The remaining accused individuals are expected to apply for bail during tomorrow's court appearance.