The Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team in George together with Public Order Policing (POP) have on Wednesday morning, 12 April 2023, uninterruptedly arrested eight people between the ages of 36 and 60 on warrants of arrest in connection with the theft of funds from the South Cape Technical and Vocational Education and Training College (“TVET”).
The eight people involved in the crime are reported to be consisting of five public officials during the time of the offence of which three are no longer employees of the Department of Education as well as three private persons.
The eight suspects will be charged with corruption, 16 counts of fraud alternatively theft.
The former Chief Executive Officer of the institution, during the period of the offence, is among those arrested.
It’s alleged that between March 2009 and August 2013, the suspects who were employees and contractors of the South Cape College colluded together in violation of the relevant policies and procedures to unlawfully and intentionally submit non-compliance bid documents and quotations for the construction and renovations of the South Cape Colleges across all campuses in the District.
Furthermore, the investigation revealed that the CEO influenced other officials to deviate from the tender process in order for the scheme to benefit the involved entities. Preliminary investigation revealed that some of the employees were directors or members of certain entities and never disclosed that they were involved directly or indirectly.
This resulted in prejudice and a loss to the South Cape TVET College to the amount over R24 million.
This then led to the matter being reported to the Hawks’ in 2014 by the Department of Higher Education after it was established by the college that the funds meant for the construction of the college were used by the suspects to enrich themselves.
The eight accused are set to make their first appearance at the George Magistrate’s Court on 13 April 2023.
More arrests are imminent.
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