Cape Town - The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has uncovered the modus operandi used to infiltrate the Department of Transport and Road Traffic Entities systems, costing them billions of rand.
The unit discovered that corruption and criminal activities regarding the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) involved a long chain where there has been fraudulent issuing of drivers’ licences, learner licences, roadworthy certificates and vehicle licences, among others.
About 86 officials including 36 vehicle testing examiners, 10 Natis officers, 26 driving license testing centres officials, three police officers, four provincial department of transport inspectors and seven others were arrested for fraud and theft during joint operations that also involved the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), the Hawks and SA Revenue Service.
Speaking at a media briefing on Monday Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula said in July six officials were arrested for 10 000 illicit transactions, which cost the state about R60 million.
“A total of 190 190 driving licences have been referred to relevant MECs for cancellation and 190 173 driving licences issued to persons who have since perished have been referred for cancellation on eNatis.
While 44 cases have been referred to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for prosecution,” he said.
“President Cyril Ramaphosa has been emphatic that there is no space for corrupt people in our government. Working with law enforcement authorities, we are making headway in uprooting malfeasance and corruption,” said Mbalula.
SIU head, advocate Andy Mothibi, said they have identified all of the alleged perpetrators and it was time for “consequence management”.
“We have found that in various driving licence testing centres there is a chain of corrupt activities which includes driving schools, so-called runners, officials and willing participants who are citizens. We are working to crack that chain.
“We now know how the system is infiltrated, there’s backdating of registration liability where it’s also a form of what is called ‘money dumping’.
The usage of deceased persons, they use those identities and put them on the system and dump money there. Then they ensure that when the money comes out, it’s cleared.
We are aware of updating new registration owners, and dealer stocking, which involves car dealers.
“A customer will go to the dealer with an unlicensed vehicle and will request them to ‘dealer stock’ their vehicle which will make penalties and arrears disappear.
When an agreement has been reached, they then re-register the vehicle back into the previous owner’s name or the new owner’s name.
When the dealer ‘stocks’ an unlicensed vehicle, the system will charge them only a double registration fee; and all outstanding licence penalties and arrears go away.
It’s usually huge amount of money that disappear,” said Mothibi.
RTMC chief executive advocate Makhosini Msibi said there were 820 cases under investigation.
“There are also impending warrants of arrests and the first priority is Gauteng where licence discs amounting to R1.2bn were fraudulently issued.”
RTMC chief executive advocate Makhosini Msibi said there were 820 cases under investigation for various crimes for which 116 people have been arrested.
“There are also impending warrants of arrests and the first priority is Gauteng province where licence discs amounting to R1.2 billion were fraudulently issued. This province is followed by Mpumalanga and the Free State.”
A total of R3bn still needs to be recovered in terms of assets and forfeiture units, Msibi said.
“Measures that will be taken in the matter of learner licences includes the roll out of computerised testing methodology, the second phase which will be in the long run is to also introduce a computerised driver’s licence test to eliminate the human element or influence when testing a person, because even optometrist(s) were involved in fraud activities.
“This also goes for the renewal of motor vehicle licence and the renewal of drivers’ licences. We are aiming to roll out the smart enrolment in driving license testing centres by December, starting in Gauteng,” said Msibi.
Cape Times