An investigation by the Eastern Cape Department of Transport has revealed that three senior officials have been pocketing payments amounting to R14.9 million for "ghost scholar transport vehicles" between 2020 and 2022.

The three were suspended by the department -- but are now said to be back at work while investigations continue.

The officials apparently allocated contracts to 25 "ghost vehicles" to ferry non-existent pupils to school, the Daily Dispatch reported.

The tender calling for scholar transport providers to ferry learners to several schools in far-flung rural areas was advertised in August 2019. The contracts allegedly ran from 2020 to 2022, while the department was struggling to pay legitimate service providers because the scholar transport programme had run out of funds.

This meant many rural pupils were left without transport and could not get to school.

A senior official at the transport department said this was just the tip of the iceberg. "The question you need to ask is why these officials are still in the department when they have allegedly been found to be corrupt and to have committed fraud?"

"The department has been paying for ghost vehicles at the expense of children who really need those services."

Department spokesperson Unathi Binqose confirmed that the suspensions were lifted on Monday and that the three are back at work while the investigation is ongoing.