Cape Town - Two people have been arrested, one of them a journalist and the other an employee of a car hire company, and are set to face 140 charges of fraud.
The charges relate to allegedly fraudulent documents issued to employ a whistleblower as a ghost writer.
The journalist was convicted of fraud and released on parole in 2014.
She is also believed to have links to gang bosses, top cops and local politicians.
The duo, a 41-year-old man from Portlands and a 40-year-old woman from Parow, were arrested on Thursday, 11 January.
The man, who cannot be named, was arrested in Epping while the woman was arrested at her workplace in Cape Town.
Police swarmed the newsroom and arrested the woman at her desk and she was escorted out of the building in handcuffs, witnesses revealed.
They will be making their first appearance at the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
Cops believe the two issued fraudulent working schedules to the Department of Correctional Services for the woman as a writer.
This, police say, gave her free reign to commit crime in the Western Cape.
They said crimes have yet to be revealed.
Police sources reveal more arrests are on the cards, including that of a senior cop.
Police spokesperson, Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana, explains the arrests come after an intense year-long investigation.
“During an intelligence-led operation, two suspects were arrested in Epping and in Cape Town, following an investigation that started on 25 January 2017,” she says.
“It is alleged the suspects issued fraudulent working schedule documents to the Department of Correctional Services, indicating that a parolee was employed by them."
“This allowed the parolee free movement within the Western Cape to commit crime."
“At 2:30pm a 41-year-old man, residing in Portlands, was arrested at a business premises in Epping."
“Simultaneously a 40-year-old woman from Parow was arrested at a media house in Cape Town."
“The arrested suspects will appear in Cape Town Magistrate's Court on Monday, 15 January, on 140 fraud charges."
“The Provincial Commissioner of the Western Cape, Lieutenant General Khombinkosi Jula, said: "It remains one of the priorities of the SAPS to root out all forms of corruption”.
Police sources reveal she was allegedly given employment by the staff member under the pretence of being a writer.
She was arrested in December 2016 after she contravened her parole conditions while staying at a secret location outside of Cape Town, fearing her own life.
She was convicted of fraud after operating a pyramid scheme on the Cape Flats and was accused of theft after she failed to pay a R87 000 bill at a guesthouse owned by Jacques de Bruyn, and stealing his wife’s car.
She told the Daily Voice on Friday she was not allowed to speak to the media about the allegations and that she had already served her time in jail, adding that it was time for those who were involved to “bad” (take a bath) also.
Colleen Rainers, the General Manager of Media24, said the company would only comment after the matter has gone to court.
“There is no comment at this moment."