Eight people have been arrested by the Hawks’ serious commercial crime investigation team for theft of college funds.
The group, including a former CEO of the institution, is accused of stealing funds from the South Cape Technical and Vocational Education and Training College (South Cape TVET) in Cape Town.
Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani said the team nabbed the suspects on Wednesday.
“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,” said Hani.
“The eight suspects, aged between 36 and 60, will be charged with corruption and 16 counts of fraud, alternatively theft.”
It is alleged that between March 2009 and August 2013, the suspects who were employees and contractors at the college worked together in violating relevant policies and procedures to unlawfully and intentionally submit non-compliance bid documents and quotations for the construction and renovations of the institution’s campuses across all the district.
“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.”
The crime resulted in prejudice and a loss to the South Cape TVET College to the amount of more than R24-million.
Hani said more arrests are expected.
The accused are set to make their first appearance at the George magistrate’s court soon.
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