The arrests follow an investigation that found almost R1.6bn ($119m) may have been misappropriated when the Department of Correctional Services awarded prison tenders to Bosasa or its units, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation said in an emailed statement Wednesday. The officials allegedly received and accepted cash and financial assistance to buy properties and cars to influence the process, it said.
The crackdown comes a day before President Cyril Ramaphosa is due to deliver his annual state-of-the-nation speech, and will add weight to his promise that he's committed to clamping down on graft.
It's also the first high-profile case to be filed since Shamila Batohi took over as head of the National Prosecuting Authority, which has been dogged by regular management changes and claims that it allowed politics to influence its decisions to prosecute during the rule of former President Jacob Zuma.