by Corruption in the Traffic Department is something many know about, but few seem to publicly voice the wrongdoings.
Many complain via social media on the corruption they see at testing stations. When they cannot seem to pass their driver’s licence without coughing up a bit of money. Or leaving the invigilator a bottle of brandy on the backseat.
Consumer insights company, Pondering Panda, released results from a survey of over 2000 individuals between the ages of 18 and 34. Three in five had said they knew someone who had paid a bribe to get their licence.
#DrivingLicenceBribeMustFall
A learner driver was arrested in Gordon’s Bay when he handed the examiner a money bag with R100 notes.
The Western Province Traffic Services, Merle Lourens said that these incidents are viewed in a serious light.
“We do not tolerate these kinds of [payments] at all. We’re trying to tell people that no leniency is going to be shown.”
A reporter from GroundUp followed a tip-off of corruption at the Randburg Licensing Department. A Johannesburg man told GroundUp how his wife had failed her Learners Test on three separate occasions. At the last booking, she was offered a licence in exchange for a bribe of R1000.
His wife refused and remembered the man’s name as ‘Jo’.
The reporter decided to investigate in June [2016] by calling to ask about the process to get a learner’s and driver’s licence. It apparently only took a couple minutes for a bribe of R1000 to be solicited to get a learner’s licence. ‘Jo’ then went on to say that a driver’s licence would cost R2000 but combined, he would give the two for R2500 – a real salesman.
“He even said he was doing me a favour as he had charged three men R1500 for their learner’s the day before.”
Claiming that all learner’s licence examinations were full until the end of August, and even into September, Jo said he had “made a plan” and she was booked in for 5 July. All that was needed was the payment, two ID photos and a copy of her ID. All documents would be scanned to ensure her licence was on the system and added.
“I’m telling you … you don’t have to even study.”
The Consequences Of Owning An Illegal Driver’s Licence
JMPD spokesperson Wayne Minaar said that any officer who participates in soliciting bribes would have to appear before a disciplinary meeting.
“The JMPD does not tolerate corruption.”
Minaar advised speaking to the head of Internal Affairs, Sam Sethagu, in cases of driver’s licence corruption. It is vital to collect as much evidence as possible in the form of hidden cameras and ‘live wires’ (voice recordings of conversations with Licence Department ‘runners’ such as Jo).
It is estimated that over R20-million is spent each year to bring a halt to this type of corruption. The JMPD and The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) have worked together to ensure over 6000 illegal licences have been cancelled, as well as criminal proceedings for a number of corrupt officials, ‘runners’, and “fly-by-night driving instructors”.
The National Traffic Information System, or eNaTIS, is also a point of action to stop any corruption that is currently underway.
