The Directorate of Priority Crime Investigations (Hawks) and the anti-corruption arm of the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) have arrested four officials for allegedly issuing driver’s licences fraudulently at a testing station in Lephalale, Limpopo.
They were arrested after the team conducted three major operations at the Lephalale, Thabazimbi and Bela-Bela driving licence testing stations where 23 suspects were arrested in February this year.
“In an unexpected twist of events, an examiner of licences who was part of the 23 suspects nabbed in February was re-arrested yesterday together with three other suspects,” the RTMC said in a statement.
“This suspect was previously caught red-handed while processing the applications of two learner licence applicants and declaring them competent while they were not present in class,” RTMC said.
All four suspects, including the examiner of driving licences, a former examiner of driving licences and two driving school operators, appeared in the Lephalale Magistrate’s Court on fraud and corruption charges.
They were released on bail ranging from R3 000 to R8 000. They are expected to appear in court again on 8 June.
RTMC said a process of identifying all applicants who benefited from the corrupt practices at the three driving licence testing stations was currently under way as investigations continued.
In a separate incident, a Tshwane Metro Police official was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment or an R8 000 fine by the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court.
This comes after the officer, Danny Malesela Mokoka, entered a plea bargain with the state in which he confessed that he had solicited and accepted a R50 bribe in 2017.
RTMC CEO Advocate Makhosini Msibi welcomed the arrests and called on members of the public to report fraud and corruption.
Bribery, fraud and corruption related to traffic policing and driving licence matters can be reported by sending an anonymous email to ntacu@rtmc.co.za or a WhatsApp message to 083 293 7989. - SAnews.gov.za
