Fake licence scam uncovered in Joburg

2011-10-18 12:05

Johannesburg - Fake learner's and driver's licences are being sold across Johannesburg for between R800 and R4 500, according to a report by The Star on Tuesday.

The Star investigation claimed to have found that fake licences were available at four of the five City of Johannesburg testing centres.

They were primarily organised by car guards and instructors from "fly by night" driving schools who work with centre examiners.

At Langlaagte a licence cost R4 500, at Randburg and Florida R2 500, and in Sandton R2 700.

The cheapest learner's licence was R800.

Options

Various options were offered. A learner could be given an answer sheet, with answers already circled, then pretend to write the test.

Some drivers licence tests did not require any driving, or if driving was required, the examiner would ignore mistakes.

The Star reported that the cost of the Langlaagte test included the hiring of the truck and paying off the examiner, then paying his fee and the actual test fee.

It cost R108 to get a licence through normal channels.

For a "sure pass" licence with the answers already filled in, R600 was reportedly paid to administrative staff at the centre, and R300 to the examiner.

Driver's licence cards took around 30 minutes to print.

The only catch was that the licences were generally "not on the system", although a metro policeman at a roadblock would not be able to see it was a fake.

Metro police spokesperson Edna Mamonyane told the newspaper that corruption at testing stations was a challenge.

"People are hungry to make quick money. We are not going to deny we have it. We are trying to uproot it," she said.

- SAPA