A total of 27 suspects, including nine government officials, have been arrested in a major corruption crackdown linked to the alleged looting of more than R100 million from the Mpumalanga Department of Basic Education.
The arrests were carried out in the early hours of Sunday, 22 February 2026, during a coordinated takedown operation led by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) in Mpumalanga.
Authorities said 41 suspects were identified in the investigation, which allegedly exposed a network of senior government officials, service providers and private individuals accused of fraud, corruption and money laundering.
The suspects are believed to have benefitted from inflated contracts, payments for sub-standard services, and in some cases, services that were never rendered — depriving learners in the province of critical educational resources.
The operation was supported by the DPCI’s Tactical Operations Management Section, Tactical Response Team and Public Order Policing units.
Police say the operation remains ongoing as teams track down the remaining suspects.
All 27 arrested suspects are expected to appear before the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 23 February 2026.
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