Traffic bribery and corruption on the increase

There have been a growing number of complaints regarding the solicitation of bribes by traffic officials and less commonly, military officials, in the three corridor countries, said the Maputo Corridor Logistics Initiative (MCLI) on Friday.

“Transporters should insist on an official fine stating the offence which has the stamp of the local authority, or is issued from an official fine book,” said Barbara Mommen, chief executive officer of the MCLI. She said that traffic officials in Mozambique did have the authority to withhold a transporter’s driver’s licence until the fine was paid.

“Our advice (and our experience) is to cooperate with the payment of the fine, but insist on an official receipt.  In the event that transporters are stopped for speeding, they should insist on proof of the offence, which is frequently captured on camera and easy to corroborate,” noted Mommen.

If the fine appears to be for spurious reasons and is obviously to solicit a bribe, she advises the public not to pay the bribe but to insist on an official fine which must be recorded in the official fine book and to insist on an official receipt before making payment.

“There is an important factor in this equation which certain complainants overlook. Those who pay a bribe are guilty of a crime. Paying a bribe means perpetuating an appetite for corruption,” Mommen said. 

She asked transporters to assist MCLI in cracking down on this practice.  “Should you be approached for a bribe, please note the name of the official, the location, the time and the details of the uniform. Then report it to admin@mcli.co.za. We are able to pass this information on in a structured format and feed it into the relevant government and other structures to deal with it,” said Mommen.