Twenty Mpumalanga security officers have been sentenced to between six and 12 months in jail for using fraudulent firearm competency certificates uncovered during the Hawks’ Operation Cobra probe. The group also received alternative fines of up to R10 000.

The investigation began after G4S reported irregularities, prompting the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation unit to trace the fake documents. Officials praised the joint effort for exposing widespread certification abuse in the sector.