Johannesburg – The police’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) conducted coordinated raids across Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Limpopo and the Western Cape on Sunday over alleged corruption linked to R114 million in education maintenance tenders.
More than 14 teams targeted government officials, businesspeople and pastors as part of a probe that began in 2018 into Department of Education contracts for school repairs — some of which were allegedly unnecessary, The Citizen reported.
Mpumalanga Hawks head Major General Nico Gerber described the matter as organised corruption involving collusion and handpicked service providers.
Authorities are seeking to arrest 41 suspects, with several already detained.
“Organised crime is everywhere, and in the government, unfortunately, this is part of it. People high up in the government and the department are involved,” he said during an interview with broadcaster Newzroom Afrika.
[WATCH] The Hawks in Mpumalanga are conducting a take-down operation, targeting forty-one people implicated in a 114-million rand government corruption scandal. Some of the suspects that are being tracked down are in the Western Cape, Limpopo and Gauteng.
Newzroom Afrika’s… pic.twitter.com/puIVTo7de4— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) February 22, 2026
“The ones that we don’t find today, it’s not a problem. We will get them, contact them, and they will probably come and hand themselves over. If not, we will look for them, and we will find them.”
More than 20 people arrested by the Hawks over a R114 million corruption scandal in the Mpumalanga Department of Education dating back to 2018. Among those arrested is a Chief Director of HR in the Department of Health. pic.twitter.com/3Mim27RBVk
— BEAST OF NEWS (@EversonLuhanga) February 22, 2026
President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate maladministration in Mpumalanga’s education department related to six boarding school food supply tenders between 2012 and 2022, with the probe extending to January 2025.
The SIU will assess whether procurement processes and payments complied with treasury regulations and whether any unlawful conduct occurred.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
