Three senior officials from the National Department of Health have appeared in court on charges of fraud and theft following an investigation by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation.

Malixole Mahlathi, Phineas Mamogale and Sabelo Buthelezi were served with warrants of arrest on Monday morning and later appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court. The arrests form part of a probe by the Hawks’ National Serious Corruption Investigation unit into alleged irregularities linked to public funds.

The case stems from an investigation launched in April 2024. It is alleged that in 2023, more than R1 million was improperly awarded to a service provider in violation of the Public Finance Management Act. Authorities say the payment benefited a company linked to one of the accused, which has also been charged as a juristic person in the matter.

All three accused were granted bail of R10,000 each. As part of their bail conditions, two of them have been instructed to surrender their passports and are barred from applying for new travel documents. They have also been ordered not to interfere with witnesses, not to return to their workplaces, and to inform the investigating officer of any travel within South Africa. The matter has been postponed to 3 June 2026.

A fourth suspect, believed to be the service provider, along with the company involved, has not yet been arrested.

Hawks spokesperson Katlego Mogale said the arrests reflect ongoing efforts to tackle corruption within state institutions. “The Hawks remain committed to investigating and bringing to book individuals involved in serious corruption, particularly where public funds are concerned,” Mogale said.

The case adds to growing scrutiny over governance and financial controls within key government departments. Allegations of procurement irregularities and misuse of public funds have repeatedly raised concerns about accountability in the public sector.

Further investigations are expected as authorities pursue additional suspects linked to the matter. The outcome of the case is likely to be closely watched, given the seniority of those involved and the broader implications for public sector integrity.