Fake plates cop put on special leave

2011-10-04 16:30

Pretoria -The Tshwane deputy metro police chief has been placed on three month's special leave amid allegations he used the same number plate for his motorbike and car.

Tshwane Mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa said on Tuesday that Ndumiso Jaca would be away pending the outcome of an investigation by municipal manager Jason Ngobeni.

Jaca still faces criminal charges and an investigation by the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) and the Road Traffic Management Corporation.

In a statement last week, municipal spokesperson Pieter de Necker said Ngobeni had submitted a report on the investigation.

At the time, he said there was "no prima facie evidence" that Jaca had contravened any of the City of Tshwane's policies or the code of conduct applicable to officials.

Ramokgopa said on Tuesday that Jaca had claimed the cars had never been on the road and he was not aware the car was unregistered. Jaca had claimed he had entrusted the registration of the car to an agent.

Ramokgopa said there was also an outstanding 2009 fine from the Johannesburg municipality for the cars.

Earlier this month, Eyewitness News reported that Jaca was allegedly using the same number plate on both his Harley-Davidson motorcycle and his BMW Z4.

Photographs of both vehicles were published in the Pretoria News.

The Justice Project SA (JPSA) laid criminal charges against Jaca - who is reportedly in the running to become the next Tshwane metro police chief - at the Alberton police station three weeks ago in terms of Section 68 of the National Road Traffic Act 1996.

"The docket with the reference CAS 413/9/2011 was registered and is expected to be forwarded to [the Pretoria police station]," JPSA spokesperson Howard Dembovsky said in a statement last week.

Last week, ICD spokesperson Moses Dlamini confirmed the police watchdog was investigating the allegations.

Displaying false number plates is punishable by a fine or jail term of up to three years.

Eyewitness News reported that the BMW which was bought in 2008 for R80 000 from Salvage Management and Disposal, was written off in March that year.

Dembovsky said the motorbike was registered in the name of the president of the Sopranos Biker Club, Moraka Ephraim Mokoka.

He said the BMW Z4 coupe was found to be unroadworthy and de-registered, but he alleged that Jaca later put the car though a roadworthy test at the Randburg licensing station in Johannesburg.

Dembovsky said the car was now registered as a built-up (code three) vehicle, after being licensed at the Mabopane licensing department in Pretoria.

Democratic Alliance spokesperson Karen Meyer welcomed the decision, but said Jaca should have been suspended.

"We believe that he should have been suspended with immediate effect and not some three weeks after the story broke."

She hoped Jaca would be released from the list of candidates earmarked for the post of Tshwane metro police chief.

- SAPA