Nine are government officials, 14 are service providers, and four are private individuals.
Some arrests were also carried out in Gauteng, Limpopo and the Western Cape.
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They are suspected of fraud, corruption, and money-laundering in 2019 and 2020 that allegedly siphoned more than R100 million from the Mpumalanga Department of Education.
The Hawks in Mpumalanga were supported by the DPCI Tactical Operations Management Section (TOMS), Tactical Response Team (TRT), and Public Order Policing (POP) when they executed a coordinated takedown across the province. The operation targeted 41 identified suspects, among them senior government officials and business people believed to have played key roles in the organised criminal network.
The 41 are alleged to have unlawfully benefitted through inflated contracts and payments, sub-standard services, and in some instances services that were never rendered, at schools in Mpumalanga.
Twenty-one suspects were arrested in Mpumalanga,
four in Gauteng, one in Limpopo and one in the Western Cape.
The Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation in Mpumalanga, Major General Nico Gerber, says the operation is ongoing, with teams actively pursuing the remaining suspects.
“Our investigation took more than five years to conclude because of the massive criminal network involved. We had to conduct intensive forensic investigations that took time. But we are now certain that we have a very strong case,” he said.
The Mpumalanga Department of Education has commented on yesterday’s developments and said in a statement the matter is now before the courts and that the Department respects the judicial process and regards the case as sub judice.
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“The Department will therefore refrain from commenting on the merits of the case at this stage, while closely monitoring all developments. The Department further reiterates its commitment to ethical governance, transparency, and accountability and maintains a zero-tolerance on any form of corruption or maladministration,” the statement reads.
“Should the need arise, the Department will fully cooperate with law enforcement agencies to ensure that due process unfolds without hindrance.”
