A 45-year-old woman from Welkom is expected to make her first appearance in the Welkom Magistrate’s Court on Monday (11/3) on allegations of corruption after she was arrested during a Hawks operation on Friday (8/3).

The public was invited to apply for vacancies as trainee traffic officers by the Matjhabeng Municipality in February.

“A twenty-year-old job applicant was thrilled to hear from a woman verifying that her application had been received. But the caller said if she paid R10 000, she would be appointed as a trainee traffic officer,” said the Free State Hawks spokesperson, Zweli Mohobeleli.

“The matter was reported to the Welkom’s serious corruption investigation unit and on Friday, when the woman was supposed to collect her money, detectives were waiting for her and she was immediately arrested.”

Upon further investigations by the unit, it was discovered that the woman was not even an employee at the municipality.

"We would like to thank residents of Welkom for exposing the scam and part of our investigation is to establish who the suspect could have been working with and the extent thereof,” said the Acting Provincial Head of the Free State Hawks, Sophie Hange.

“Government jobs are not for sale. Anyone who tries to solicit money in this manner must be reported.”

OFM News cg