The Hawks' Serious Corruption Investigation team make their arrest of an acting principal on corruption charges.
Image: SAPS
A 57-year-old former acting school principal from Taung, North West, faces serious corruption charges after allegedly orchestrating a sophisticated job-for-cash scheme that netted R30,500 in illegal payments.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation's (known as the Hawks) corruption unit arrested the suspect on Monday, February 17, following allegations she demanded monthly kickbacks from a teacher in exchange for an acting principal position.
Police allege that between January 2022 and November 2024, the suspect abused her position as acting school principal to solicit bribes in exchange for a lucrative teaching post.
Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Tinyiko Mathebula said that the woman initially offered a contractual Head of Department (HoD) position to the complainant at her school.
While the contract was renewed in both 2022 and 2023, it was ultimately not extended in 2024, with another candidate securing the role instead.
The suspect then made a questionable offer to the complainant, proposing that she would recommend him for the acting principal position in return for a financial kickback.
“The suspect allegedly informed the complainant that she would expect a payment of R4,500 in monthly instalments for her acting allowance, which she would have forfeited,” said Mathebula.
The complainant accepted the position and, from February 2024, allegedly began paying the suspect monthly sums ranging from R4,500 to R5,200.
Investigators later determined that the suspect received a total of R30,500 through this illicit arrangement.
Following a thorough probe, the Hawks arrested the suspect, who now faces corruption charges.
She is set to appear before the Taung Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, February 18.
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