EDUCATION CRISIS: Hillcrest International School staff Arrested for Fraud

A multidisciplinary team lead by the Hawks' Serious Organised Crime Investigation shut down two fraudulent primary and high schools, Hillcrest International School and Academy of Sciences, which were housed in the same buildings along Harley Street, Ferndale in Randburg, on Monday morning.

Petros Lyson, 54, Hillcrest's director, was detained, along with his sons Rawlings, 30, and Rodney, 25. According to the Hawks, his sons taught in the primary school. Captain Lloyd Ramovha, a spokesperson for the Gauteng Hawks, stated that the schools' 200 paying pupils were all foreign nationals.

The squad, which comprised Randburg police, the Department of Education, and the Department of Home Affairs, pounced on the facilities after receiving a report that the institutions were not registered with the Department of Education.

On Wednesday, March 9, 2023, the gang appeared in the Randburg Magistrate's Court on fraud allegations. They are also accused with violating the South African Schools Act by failing to register the schools. Charges of violating the Immigration Act are also being considered, pending verification of the arrested individuals' status in the country. The court has remanded them in jail until their bail hearing on Monday, March 13 and 16, 2023.

Rawlings Lyson a former Hillcrest International School teacher, owned by his father, Petros Lyson.
Image: Hawks

The defendants are being held in jail and are scheduled to appear in court again on Monday and Thursday. Lyson has also been charged in connection with an incident that occurred on August 1, 2022, at OR Tambo International Airport.

Rodney Lyson is a former Hillcrest International School owned by his father Petros Lyson

The accused appeared in court on Wednesday for fraud charges.

The Hawks feel this is only the top of the iceberg, since it looks to be prevalent throughout the country. They advise the public to check the credentials of institutions with the Gauteng Department of Education's Mrs Selaelo Kgoale at 082 677 4436. Any victims who have been impacted are requested to contact the case's investigators, Warrant Officer Class Ranthakgoa and Captain Mabasa, at 0825684598 and 0714812468, respectively.

According to the Gauteng Hawks head, Major General Ebrahim Kadwa, fraudulent colleges "appear to be widespread in the country". Kadwa added: "We cannot sit and watch whilst the future of our youth is being exploited by unscrupulous criminals. The Hawks will present a watertight case to ensure that similar elements refrain from these appalling acts of dishonesty at the detriment of our education system."

Additionally, the Commanding General Ebrahim Kadwa, the Gauteng Provincial Chief of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, praised the investigators' painstaking joint efforts for a job well done. The Hawks will provide a strong case to guarantee that comparable elements do not commit such heinous acts of dishonesty to the detriment of our educational system.

How did the school operate for this long without anyone noticing that they were unregistered? Just as the Hawks believe that this is just the tip of the iceberg, thorough investigation may provide more intel on other parties involved. What will happen to those who may have graduated from the school? Can their qualifications be revoked? And what will this mean for them in their current position?