Eight people, including former President Nelson Mandela’s official praise singer, a police officer and a traditional leader, were arrested on Thursday for allegedly defrauding the Eastern Cape government, the Scorpions representative Sipho Ngwema said.
Ngwema said the eight were arrested at their homes during a joint anti-corruption blitz involving the Scorpions and police early in the morning.
Ngwema said the eight are facing charges of defrauding various departments, including the social development department. They were scheduled to appear at the East London court later on Thursday and that more arrests were expected.
The arrests bring to 45 the number of people charged since the joint unit was formed in December to particularly focus on fraud in the government. – Sapa