Civil society organisation Action Society has hailed the arrest of 12 senior police officers and a Medicare 24 company director on corruption charges linked to the R360 million Medicare 24 contract.

The 12 are set to appear in the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

The contract, meant to provide health services for SAPS staff, was cancelled last year in May amid allegations of tender irregularities with links to implicated individuals including alleged cartel member Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.

Spokesperson for Action Society Juanita du Preez says, “We welcome it, but it is overdue, especially the seniority involved. It should have been done a long time ago. It just confirms what we’ve been saying- corruption is not isolated, it’s systemic, and one- operation does not equal reform. We need to see consistent action, we need to see consequences at all levels- and speedy prosecutions of course.