By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Photo Credit: Neil McCartney.
The Hawks in Mpumalanga have arrested 23 people, including senior officials implicated in a R114-million tender corruption in the Department of Education.
Mpumalanga Hawks head Major-General Nico Gerber says arrests relates to the emergency repair of 21 schools during the 2019-2020 financial year.
Gerber said, “At this stage, we can just say that the acting HOD at that time, the chief directors for implementation, the director for planning and the acting CFO in the Department of Education are suspects in this matter.”
The contracts for the emergency repairs were awarded without following proper procurement procedures, in some cases, the work was not done.
Gerber said officers had conducted coordinated raids at multiple residences of suspects across several provinces, including Mpumalanga, Gauteng and the Western Cape.
The operation is targeting 41 individuals suspected of involvement in corruption within the department of education.
Gerber added the suspects face charges including fraud, corruption and money laundering.
He said investigations included how the service providers were “hand-picked” and how project costs increased under the guise of urgent repairs.
The arrested suspects are expected to appear in court on Monday, 23 February 2026.
President Cyril Ramaphosa last year authorised the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to look into serious maladministration at the Mpumalanga education department in connection with six tenders.
“The SIU will investigate the procurement and contracting for the supply of foodstuffs between 2012 and 2022.”
“The probe will also examine whether the payments for these contracts adhered to national treasury guidelines and ascertain whether the payments were irregular, fruitless, and wasteful expenditures or financial losses for the department or the state.”
“Furthermore, the SIU will seek to establish if there was unlawful or improper conduct by the department employees, officials, agents, and any other person or entity to corruptly or unduly benefit themselves or others.”