Hawks arrest teacher for defrauding government of R1m with ‘ghost learners’

A 42-year-old Oudtshoorn teacher who allegedly defrauded the government of almost a million rand has been arrested by the Hawks, DispatchLive reports.

“It is alleged that between January 2010 and 2013, Dorothy, who worked as a teacher and a manager at different learning centres around Oudtshoorn, registered ghost learners,  thereby inflating the actual numbers of registered students in order to gain financial benefits from the Western Cape department of education, which consequently lost R946,538 from her illegal activities,” said Hawks spokesperson Philani Nkwalase.

Dorothy appeared at the Oudtshoorn Magistrate’s Court on Monday. She stands accused of committing the crimes over three years.

She will be back in court on September 6 after being released on R2,500 bail.

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