Roadworthy certificate scam under investigation

The Traffic Inspectorate at the Western
Cape Department of Transport is
investigating a case involving a possible
roadworthy certificate scam by a private
facility in Cape Town.
This after two officials from the Road
Haulage Unit of the City of Cape Town’s
Traffic Services department pulled over
a truck on the Bellville South highway
just over a week ago to
check its roadworthy
status. The traffic
officers found 12 major
defects on the heavy
haul vehicle, including
broken shocks, defective
brakes, worn tyres and
broken headlights.
City of Cape Town
mayoral committee
member for safety,
security and social
services, JP Smith, told
FTW that the situation
had taken a “disturbing turn” when
the driver of the vehicle presented a
roadworthy certificate that had been
issued just hours before at a private
testing centre.
“The truck was immediately
suspended from operating on a public
road and the matter reported to the
Inspectorate for further investigation.
They have also opened a criminal
charge against the company and/or the
examiner who issued the roadworthy
certificate,” he said.
Western Cape traffic chief, Kenny
Africa, confirmed that scams in
which examiners issued roadworthy
certificates for an additional fee –
without inspecting the vehicle – were
not uncommon.
He pointed to recent
research which showed
that an average of
seven out of ten trucks
currently operating
on South Africa’s
roads would not pass a
roadworthy test.
“We have stepped
up operations against
unroadworthy vehicles,
with officers having a
no-tolerance policy and
immediately removing
the vehicles from the
road,” said Africa.
Furthermore, his department has
been collaborating with a private
sector partner to train officers about
the proper procedures for roadworthy
inspections on trucks.
The officers do roadworthy tests at
every weighbridge in the province, every
time a truck is weighed,” he pointed out.
INSERT AND CAPTION
The traffic officers
found 12 major
defects on the heavy
haul vehicle.
– JP SMITH