KEY POINTS
- Two women were arrested for matric certificate fraud.
- Electronic devices, including a computer and phone, were seized.
- Hawks discover gold-bearing soil being processed by suspects.
In connection with fraudulent activities involving the falsification of matric certificates, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks, arrested two women.
Hawks arrest women for altering matric certificates
The arrests, according to Gauteng Hawks spokesperson Lt. Col. Lloyd Ramovha, demonstrate the organization’s “unwavering commitment” to enforcing the law and safeguarding the integrity of South Africa’s educational system. When a police officer spotted suspicious activity at an internet café in central Johannesburg on Thursday, March 20, 2025, the arrests took place.
A 2014 matric certificate was found to have been altered by the suspects, who were 24 and 31 years old, who changed the academic scores to falsely portray their qualifications.
Electronic devices seized for further investigation
According to Iol, a computer and a mobile phone that were used in the crime were confiscated for additional investigation, Ramovha stated. The Hawks’ Gauteng provincial commander, Major General Ebrahim Kadwa, meanwhile, praised the arrests.
These kinds of crimes damage the reputation of our educational system and the labor of innumerable South Africans. Justice will be served, and we will not put up with such dishonesty,” Kadwa declared.
Ramovha also asked everyone to be on guard and notify the authorities of any fraudulent activity.
Hawks members from the Vaalrand severe organized crime team conducted a separate investigation in September 2023, carrying out a search and seizure warrant at a site located in Barbuda Street, Elandsfontein, Walkerville.
Five of the seven people, who were recognized as Zimbabwean nationals, were found to be processing gold-bearing soil. They were discovered working behind the property, moving dirt into one of three structures for the concentration of gold with wheelbarrows, according to Ramovha. The Precious Metals Act violation led to the offenders’ arrest.
The matter was sent to the Hawks’ specialized crime investigation team for additional investigation and asset forfeiture procedures after the operation.Â
