Pretoria - Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele has warned that more arrests are imminent across the country to combat fraud and corruption among law enforcement officers.
"As the Department of Transport, we have adopted a zero tolerance stance towards any form of fraud and corruption. Corruption thrives when there is inefficiency, and we must remove the necessity to be corrupt," Ndebele said on Friday.
He was referring to reports of alleged bribery of traffic officers. He warned that both those who offer and those accepting bribes will be arrested. Last Thursday, a traffic official and two others were arrested for allegedly taking an estimated R5 million in bribes to cancel summonses served on speeding motorists.
In October, a driver who offered members of the National Traffic Police (NTP) a R40 bribe for overloading in Johannesburg, was arrested.
There was another case of where members of the NTP arrested a Mozambican national in Johannesburg who offered them a R20 bribe for not being in possession of a valid driving licence.
"Over the past few years, there have been numerous arrests, convictions, dismissals and de-registrations of government officials as well as private individuals with regards to fraud and corruption. Several Vehicle and Driver Licensing Testing Centres have also been subsequently shut down. More arrests are imminent," Ndebele said.
In Gauteng, 178 investigations were being conducted on the conduct of traffic officers as well as driving schools. These investigations, Ndebele said, were at an advanced stage, and cut across the province.
Furthermore, the Department of Community Safety in Gauteng has conducted 12 audits of testing documentation and 36 physical inspections of DLTCs and Vehicle Testing Stations. The Department has cancelled 2 373 licences or Professional Driver Permits due to these being obtained illegally, fraudulently or due to physical incapacity of the person.
In KwaZulu-Natal, 20 people were arrested during February 2011 on charges of fraud and corruption at the Mandeni Licence Testing Centre.
Other provinces are also busy with their own investigations into fraudulent activities, and have already handed over evidence to the SAPS for further investigation.
"As government, we want to assure South Africans that we are going all out to ensure efficient service at all Vehicle and Driving Licence Testing Centres in the country. Democratic rights means public servants must treat citizens with respect and dignity, and citizens must not accept shoddy service.
"We are not only a democratic government, but a democratic society where citizens must know their rights and hold government officials to account. Efficient and friendly service is non-existent at many of our Licensing Centres and this must change.
"There were pockets of excellence, but excellence should be the norm at every Licensing Centre," Ndebele said.
