Former SA cricketers arrested for 2016 match-fixing saga

Three former South African cricketers implicated in a match-fixing scheme during the 2015/2016 domestic T20 Ram Slam Challenge - Ethy Mbhalati, Thami Tsolekile and Lonwabo Tsotsobe - have been arrested by the Hawks. 

In statement released on Friday, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) - known as the Hawks - confirmed the news. 

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Tsotsobe was arrested on Friday, Tsolekile on Thursday and Mbhalati - the only one of the three players not to have represented his country - was arrested back on 18 November. 

"The arrests come after a meticulous investigation by the Serious Corruption Investigation component of the DPCI, following allegations reported by a whistleblower in October 2016," the Hawks statement read. 

Mbhalati has already appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court and the matter was postponed to 20 February 2025 for further instructions.

"Tsolekile and Tsotsobe were both charged with five counts of corruption under Section 15 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, 2004 (PRECCA)," the statement continued.

"They both appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court today, 29 November 2024 where their case was postponed to 26 February 2025 for disclosure."

In a scandal that dates back around eight years, the matter was first reported by Cricket South Africa's (CSA) Anti-Corruption Officer after suspicions of match-fixing emerged involving former Proteas player Gulam Bodi.

Bodi approached several players to participate in fixing three T20 Ram Slam matches, working in collusion with bookmakers from India. He was arrested in July 2018, pleaded guilty to eight counts of corruption, and was sentenced to five years' direct