Caption: Hawks officer arresting one of the 14 suspects nabbed for corruption
By Lwazi Raul-Shongwe and Kopano Dibakwane
Fourteen suspects, aged between 34 and 59, including drivers licence testing examiners and driving school owners, were simultaneously nabbed at four Drivers Licence Testing Stations in Sabie, Graskop, Lydenburg and Verena on Monday 16 September.
The arrests were reportedly carried out during a multidisciplinary intelligence-driven joint operation by the Mpumalanga Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation(Hawks), Road Traffic Management Corporation(RTMC) and Crime Intelligence.
Mpumalanga spokesperson for Hawks, Captain Dineo Sekgotodi, said the investigation into the alleged corrupt activities at the implicated testing stations follows information that was received in 2021, which revealed that drivers licence testing examiners were colluding with driving school owners to issue learners and drivers licences to applicants without following due processes, buy not conducting routine tests and assisting the applicants when they write learners licences exams.
Sekgotodi said the Hawks registered an investigative project under the code name âKwaneleâ and unconventional investigation methods were applied to uncover the said shenanigans in the testing stations implicated for wrong doing.
â Drivers licences were allegedly issued to applicants without being tested after paying exorbitant amounts of cash. A warrant of arrest was authorised and issued at different testing stations simultaneously. The suspects were arrested and charged for fraud, corruption and contravening the National Road Traffic Act.
â Some(of the suspects) were taken to court for first court appearances, while others were remanded in custody pending their appearances on Tuesday 17 September,â said Sekgotodi.
The Provincial Head of the Hawks in Mpumalanga, Major-General Nicholas Gerber, said the Hawks will investigate and arrest all corrupt law enforcement officials within the system, without any fear or favour.
Major-General Gerber has urged the public to report such incidents.
â Corruption cannot survive if the public refuses to pay bribes to obtain fraudulent licenses. Members of the public must refrain from paying bribes in whatever form, as they can be prosecuted in terms of legislation, said Gerber.
He applauded his team for the work done and emphasised that more arrests are imminent.
â Officials need to do the work they are paid for and not abuse their powers as a source of income,â said Gerber.
