Police in South Africa have arrested a suspect linked to an alleged procurement fraud scheme at the Construction Education and Training Authority (Ceta) involving mobile phones.According to Ceta, the matter was uncovered thanks to improved internal controls and oversight under the current administration.

A preliminary investigation revealed that an official responsible for procuring mobile devices is suspected of falsifying documents to approve orders.These phones were then allegedly sold for personal gain instead of being used for official purposes.Once the irregularity was detected, Ceta promptly reported it to the police, leading to the arrest.The authority is also running parallel internal disciplinary processes in line with its policies.

Ceta spokesperson Jabulani Jiyane confirmed the developments, while administrator Oupa Nkoane emphasised the organisation’s commitment to restoring governance, accountability, and ethical conduct.

He added that Ceta will work to recover any losses where possible and will not disclose the identity of the individual while disciplinary steps are ongoing.This incident highlights ongoing efforts to strengthen integrity within the public entity responsible for skills training in the construction sector.The case remains under investigation by police.