Senior Limpopo education official arrested for alleged corruption

An assistant director in the Limpopo department of education is out on R1‚000 bail after being arrested for corruption.

Mbhazima David Mabasa‚ who was responsible for awarding of bursaries to students at the University of Venda‚ was arrested by the Hawks in Polokwane on Tuesday.

Hawks provincial spokesman Captain Matimba Maluleke said Mabasa‚ 58‚ had allegedly demanded R4‚400 to approve a bursary for a student at the institution.

Maluleke said the matter was reported to the Hawks and that an operation was conducted‚ which led to Mabasa's arrest.

“The suspect was arrested immediately after receiving the bribe‚” said Maluleke yesterday.

He said Mabasa had appeared in the Polokwane Magistrate's Court where he was granted bail and the case against him was postponed to June 13 for further investigations.

“As the Hawks we would like to encourage other students who had paid bribes to the suspect in order to get their bursaries approved to come forward‚” he said.

Spokesman for the provincial department of education‚ Naledzani Rasila‚ said they had suspended Mabasa and that he would be charged with misconduct when he appeared before an internal disciplinary hearing.

According to Rasila‚ parents of the student had approached them to report the matter after Mabasa had allegedly demanded the money. He said they alerted the Hawks who assisted in setting up a trap.

“We are happy that one of the conditions for Mabasa's bail is that he must not enter his office throughout the investigations‚” Rasila said.

He said he hoped the strong arm of the law would take its course and deal harshly with Mabasa. Rasila warned other would-be corrupt officials to refrain from engaging in such practices.

“As a department we are not going to tolerate any form of corruption and will deal with it where it manifests itself in our department‚” he said.

-TMG Digital/SowetanLIVE