The matter has already seen 40 accused persons, including her husband, arrested in February 2026.
Pastor Thandekile Sibiya, wife of co-accused Pastor Bongani Sibiya, appeared before the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 15 October 2026.. Picture: iStock
A pastor’s wife accused of benefiting from the proceeds of an alleged R114 million corruption, theft and money laundering scheme involving the Mpumalanga Department of Education has been granted bail.
Pastor Thandekile Sibiya, wife of co-accused Pastor Bongani Sibiya, appeared before the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 15 October 2026.
Court
She was arrested on Wednesday, 14 October 2026.
Thandekile appeared in court alongside co-accused Zama Fakude, a company director who handed himself over to police on Thursday morning, whose company allegedly benefited more than R1 million from the suspected corrupt activities.
Fakude was remanded in custody, and the bail application was postponed to 21 October 2026 to allow further investigation.
Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi said Thandekile’s appearance followed that of her husband, Pastor Bongani Sibiya, who successfully applied for the relaxation of his bail conditions to enable him to attend a church men’s conference outside South Africa later this month.
“Thandekile Sibiya is expected to return to court on 1 December 2026, alongside her 39 co-accused, including her husband.”
Commercial crime
Nkosi added that the Provincial Head of the Hawks in Mpumalanga, Major General Nico Gerber, said the Hawks remain committed to pursuing complex commercial crime investigations and following the money to uncover the alleged beneficiaries of corruption.
“The investigation continues, and all persons implicated in the matter will be afforded the opportunity to answer to the allegations in court.”
Investigation
Thandekile’s arrest follows an ongoing investigation into alleged corruption, theft and money laundering involving approximately R114 million in Department of Education funds.
The matter has already seen 40 accused persons, including her husband, arrested in February 2026.
According to the Hawks, the investigation has allegedly linked Thandekile to the proceeds of crime channelled through four companies and her husband.
Nkosi said her arrest marks a further development in the extensive investigation aimed at bringing all those implicated in the alleged scheme to justice.
