Zuko Komisa
- The suspects face counts of fraud, corruption, theft, and money laundering involving over R800,000.
- Investigations revealed that an official allegedly colluded with directors to approve funding applications in exchange for illegal kickbacks.
- Both individuals are scheduled to appear in the Tzaneen Magistrate’s Court this Thursday, 19 March 2026.
South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks) has arrested a 58-year-old company director and a 49-year-old financial advisor following a major investigation into the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (SEDFA).
The arrests in Phalaborwa follow a lengthy probe that began in early 2025.
Following reports of “sinister activities” at the SEDFA office in Tzaneen, the Hawks executed a search-and-seizure warrant in April 2025.
During that raid, investigators confiscated electronic devices and documents that eventually linked the suspects to the missing funds.
According to Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale, the corruption centred on a “pay-to-play” system where government-backed funding was diverted to companies willing to pay bribes.
Major General Gopz Govender, the Provincial Head of the Hawks in Limpopo, issued a stern warning that “no stone will be left unturned” and confirmed that more arrests may follow as the investigation widens.
READ NEXT: Life behind bars for gangsters who killed a 21-year-old pregnant woman
The post Hawks make arrests involving R800,000 small business funding scam appeared first on KAYA 959.
