Phalaborwa testing station shut down

THE Limpopo department of roads and transport has suspended operations at the Phalaborwa traffic testing station following allegations that officials at the station were issuing roadworthy certificates without testing the cars.

The suspension of the station, which was approved by MEC Pinkie Kekana, took effect on Wednesday.

According to preliminary findings the eNatis cashier at the station was the one authorising the issuing of the roadworthy certificates, a transaction that was supposed to be performed by examiners.

The station was also able to issue more roadworthy certificates than it was able to test based on the fact that it had one test pit and one examiner.

"Of grave concern was that in addition to these discrepancies, the station was issuing certificates of roadworthiness to vehicles from as far as the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Northern Cape," departmental spokesman Thesan Moodley said.

He said they had also discovered that the station was operating without a management representative and that the examiner did not have access to eNatis transactions as required.

"All this meant that the cashier was illegally and fraudulently authorising and capturing certificates of roadworthiness."

According to Moodley the station was issuing certificates to untested vehicles, which was in contravention of the National Road Traffic Act 93 of 1996. A case of fraud and corruption has been opened against the three officials attached to the station.

Moodley said the cars that had been tested would be blocked on the eNatis system to ensure that they went for retesting.

"For now the station management must prove compliance to the National Road Traffic Act and the South African Bureau of Standards Code if they still want to operate the system. But should anyone be proven guilty they will no longer be able to operate the eNatis system," Moodley said.