They were arrested during an operation by the Mpumalanga Hawks over the weekend. The 38 accused have been granted bail of a combined R1 625 000.
A wheelchair-bound accused and two students were granted R5 000 bail each. Three accused were granted bail of R20 000 each, one had to pay R30 000 and 31 had to pay R50 000 each.
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Ndlovu encouraged the department to promptly assess the impact of these arrests on its internal functionality, including administrative operations, service delivery, and staff morale.
In his statement the premier says the provincial government respects the independence of law-enforcement agencies and the judicial process and that the Mpumalanga provincial government remains committed to fostering a stable and effective education system that prioritises the well-being and future of our youth.
The Mpumalanga Department of Education has commented on the arrests earlier in the week, saying that the matter is now before the courts and that 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. The Department further reiterates its commitment 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,” the statement reads.
The Democratic Alliance in Mpumalanga also welcomed the arrests.
“However, the education department’s attempt to distance itself from the matter, and its tendency to employ senior officials who are prone to corruption, is unacceptable,” says Annerie Weber, DA spokesperson on education in Mpumalanga.
“The DA calls on the department to thoroughly vet their heads of department and other senior directors before employing them.”
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Webber says the DA wrote to the office of Premier Ndlovu in 2024, asking him to suspend the current head of department, Lucy Moyane, after a forensic investigation linked her and eight other departmental officials to gross procurement irregularities in connection with a R2 million laptop scandal.
Moyane was also implicated in another scandal where she allegedly signed off over R2,1 million for the refurbishment of a guardhouse smaller than six square-meters at the department’s Ehlanzeni District offices at KaNyamazane outside Mbombela. Moyane was eventually suspended in May last year, but returned to work in January after receiving a written warning.
