Ndebele orders probe into licence scam

2011-10-19 08:18

Johannesburg - Transport Minister Sbu Ndebele ordered an investigation on Tuesday into a fake learners and drivers licence scam in Johannesburg.

"Fraud and corruption will not be tolerated at any licensing centre," he said in a statement.

"... We will leave no stone unturned in such matters. Those who accept a bribe, as well as those who offer the bribe will face the full might of the law."

A report in The Star on Tuesday revealed fake licences were being sold for between R800 and R4 500 at four of the five City of Johannesburg testing centres.

Several people arrested already

They were primarily organised by car guards and instructors from "fly-by-night" driving schools, who worked with centre examiners, the newspaper reported.

The national transport department said several officials and members of the public had already been arrested for fraud and corruption related to car and driver licences in the past year.

On Tuesday, provincial transport spokesperson Octavia Mamabolo said some government officials were complicit in arranging these licences.

"We need to really apply some unconventional methods," she said.

This might involve installing closed circuit television and investigating and vetting the examiners.
At worst, they might have to close some testing stations.

"People are consistently finding new ways of beating the system," she said.

"It is really a problem for the department. I'm not going to shy away from that."

Contact dept

Gauteng community safety spokesperson Thapelo Moiloa urged members of the public and even those who had bought licences to contact the department anonymously with information.

"Give us the name of the testing station and the official involved and we will deal harshly with them.

"Those cars and those people will be using our roads. If they are not trained properly they are going to cause havoc on our roads," he said.

Moiloa invited people to send information to him on [e-mail], 011-689-3826 or 084-805-2247.

- SAPA