Five licensing officials and driving school operator arrested in Limpopo

A driving school operator and two licensing officials have been arrested in Thohoyandou, Limpopo, for fraudulently issuing drivers’ licences to applicants for a fee.

The arrests followed a tip-off received by members of the Road Traffic Management Corporation’s national traffic anti-corruption unit indicating examiners of licences at the Sibasa driver licence testing centre were set to fraudulently issue driving licences to two applicants, the RTMC said on Saturday.

“The anti-corruption officers then enlisted the co-operation of the Limpopo division of the Hawks to stage a sting operation at the testing centre. This operation resulted in the arrest of the driving school operator and two examiners — a male and a female yesterday (Friday).

“Relevant documents were seized and the suspected were detained at Thohoyandou police station. They are expected to appear in court next week,” the RTMC said.

In another operation, it said, three vehicle testing examiners were rearrested in Marble Hall on the same day for fraudulently issuing vehicle roadworthy certificates for vehicles that they never tested.

The three were rearrested at SNJ private vehicle testing station, which was previously raided by the anti-corruption unit and the Hawks.

“The suspects were on bail following arrest on similar allegations last month. They were detained at Marble Hall testing station and will appear in court next on charges of fraud and contravention of the National Road Traffic Act.”

Two more suspects were being sought in connection with these allegations, the road traffic authority said.                                                                                  

About 30 vehicle examiners were arrested in Limpopo last month, during operation Corolla, on charges of fraud relating to the issuing of vehicle roadworthiness certificates. All the suspects were released on bail.