Bail granted to 40 accused in Mpumalanga education tender scandal

Suspects implicated in Mpumalanga education funds scandal at Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court. Picture: Supplied. This week, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) in Mpumalanga executed a successful takedown of 40 suspects linked to siphoning millions of rands from the Department of Education in Mpumalanga.

Since Sunday, 22 February 2026, the Hawks targeted 40 suspects allegedly involved in the looting of education funds disguised as emergency-required services and repairs. Initially, 38 suspects were arrested, and they appeared in Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court from Monday to Wednesday. The accused included senior government officials, service providers, and individuals.

Hawks Mpumalanga spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi said investigations revealed that R114 million tender projects were awarded by the department. Some of the service providers, however, were allegedly handpicked without following proper procedures. “The service providers allegedly rendered substandard services; some were paid whilst no services were rendered, and some were allegedly paid more than once for services rendered,” Nkosi said on Wednesday.

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“The money siphoned from the department was then moved from service providers’ accounts to different accounts until it reached government officials.” Following a three-day bail application, the court granted bail to the 38 suspects, totalling R1 625 000, on Wednesday. A wheelchair-bound accused and two of the three students were granted R5 000 bail each.

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