A Free State woman will appear in the Parys Magistrate’s Court on Monday (27/5) for corruption and fraud after she allegedly bribed an official at the local Driving Licence Testing Centre (DLTC).

She allegedly offered an official at the Department of Community Safety, Roads and Transport gratification for turning a blind eye on relicensing a truck that had outstanding fines amounting to over R177,000, said Zweli Mohobeleli, Hawks spokesperson.

The members of Bloemfontein Serious Corruption Investigation unit received information resulting to an investigation. “The upstanding official, who had heard about the recent arrest of 17 people involved in driver's license related corruption, informed the Hawks about the suspect’s advances,” he said.

‘The suspect arrived at Parys DLTC with R50,000 in cash’

The corruption busters wasted no time in approaching the court to seek permission to conduct an undercover police operation.

On Thursday (23/5) the suspect arrived at Parys DLTC with R50,000 in cash. Her sole intention was to get the truck relicensed at a reduced price. The Hawks was waiting to arrest her. 

Mokgadi Bokaba. Foto: scrolla.Africa

Free State Head of the Hawks, Mokgadi Bokaba, has praised the official for heeding the call to stop corruption in its tracks. "Members of the public often complain about corrupt officials who accept bribes. Our message is that they must desist from fuelling corruption by offering gratification. It is a criminal offense," she said.

According to ArriveAlive, the effect of corruption is not only a loss of state revenue. When corrupt officials allow motorists who speed, or who are driving vehicles that are not roadworthy, to proceed with their journey, the consequences for other road users are potentially disastrous. A breakdown in public trust of the integrity of traffic officials is also likely to result in an increase in lawlessness among road users.

How does corruption manifest in the field of traffic enforcement and road safety?

Bribes are often demanded in situations where road users have committed an offence such as speeding, overloading, or driving unlicensed or not roadworthy vehicles. Bribery in these instances may be used to ensure the offender escapes a stiffer penalty (i.e. a R100 bribe is requested when the alternative is to pay a legitimate fine of double that amount).

The most commonly paid bribe is for traffic fines, driver testing and licensing irregularities.

Certificates of roadworthiness are issued without the said vehicles undergoing the necessary roadworthy tests. Money is received in return for assisting applicants for learners licence tests to cheat in their exams.

‘Car sellers often try to buy certificates’

Car sellers often attempt to bribe examiners to overlook a certain component or else to push through a marginal case. Car sellers often try to buy “paper” certificates. That is, a certificate provided without testing or examining the vehicle at all.

Car sellers will sometimes put testing stations under pressure if they do not pass their vehicle then they will take the business elsewhere. If a vehicle fails a roadworthy test, the client often takes the vehicle to another testing station where they know the test is less strict.

‘The tyres may have been swapped’

A vehicle might be checked and (correctly) passed, only for some of the components to be switched before the vehicle is sold. The seller shows the prospective buyer the certificate and a deal is made on that evidence. The tyres, for example, may have been swapped with worn tyres after the test.

Each vehicle examiner has an examiner’s code that appears on the examination sheet. Unscrupulous examiners will sometimes use another examiners code and name when passing non-roadworthy vehicles.

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