A major corruption scandal involving more than R800 000 has been exposed, with two suspects arrested after a Hawks investigation uncovered an alleged network of fraud, kickbacks and abuse of public funds in Limpopo.
A 58 year old company director, her company, and a 49 year old financial adviser were arrested on Tuesday by the Hawks Serious Corruption Investigation unit following intelligence about suspicious dealings linked to the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency office in Tzaneen.
The arrests come after months of investigation into what authorities describe as a coordinated scheme involving officials and private companies.
According to Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale, investigators uncovered evidence of theft, fraud, corruption and money laundering tied to funding processes at the agency.
A search and seizure operation carried out on 24 April 2025 at the agency’s offices led to the confiscation of electronic devices and critical documents, which were analysed as part of the investigation.
The investigation revealed that an official was colluding with company directors in assisting with applications and in return received kickbacks exceeding R800 000 from companies that were approved for funding.
Authorities say the case exposes how public funds meant to support small businesses may have been diverted through corrupt relationships between insiders and external beneficiaries.
“Those who abuse public funds will be brought to book. Serious Corruption Investigation will ensure accountability.”
The suspects are expected to appear in the Tzaneen Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, where they will face charges including fraud, corruption, theft and money laundering.
The investigation is ongoing and more arrests are expected as authorities widen the probe into the corruption network.