Some driving schools in Gauteng are offering guaranteed pass for learner and driving tests and in certain instances, the applicant does not even have to go through the assessment at all.
This was revealed in the forensic investigation report into corruption in Driving Licensing Testing Centres (DLTCs) in Gauteng, which was released by transport MEC Jacob Mamabolo on Thursday.
During the probe, investigators conducted social media searches on driving schools in the province and selected a sample of 24 of them to determine the fees. Of the 24, seven driving schools offered a guaranteed pass with a going rate of R6,500.
“Some driving schools inform us that with the guaranteed pass, the applicant does not have to study anything and will receive assistance with the learner licence test. One of the driving schools informed us that there is an option available where an applicant does not have to do the driver’s licence test themselves,” Mamabolo said.
Provincial government instituted investigation in 2021 into the allegations of corruption at DLTCs after the province suffered huge backlog of people struggling to secure slots for the renewal of their drivers licences. Members of the public also made allegations that there is rampant corruption at DLTCs which affects the services provided.
In the report, the investigators found that there are no controls to identify or deter possible corruption when examiners conduct the driver’s tests, especially when they leave the yard to conduct the road test.
In most instances, there are no CCTV cameras in the yard of the DLTC which can be monitored to flag irregularities. On the securing the online booking slots, Ligwa Advisory Services, which investigated DLTCs, obtained data from April 1 2019 to May 31 2021 for analysis.
From a total of 570,617 bookings made, it was found that there were 2,304 mobile numbers that were used to make more than five online bookings each during that period.
Social media searches were conducted, which revealed individuals advertised to offer the services of booking online slots at a cost of R150 to R200.
dlaminip@sowetan.co.za
R6.5k guarantees pass for learner and driving tests without assessment — probe
Transport MEC releases report into corruption at licensing Centres
Image: Ziphozonke Lushaba
Some driving schools in Gauteng are offering guaranteed pass for learner and driving tests and in certain instances, the applicant does not even have to go through the assessment at all.
This was revealed in the forensic investigation report into corruption in Driving Licensing Testing Centres (DLTCs) in Gauteng, which was released by transport MEC Jacob Mamabolo on Thursday.
During the probe, investigators conducted social media searches on driving schools in the province and selected a sample of 24 of them to determine the fees. Of the 24, seven driving schools offered a guaranteed pass with a going rate of R6,500.
“Some driving schools inform us that with the guaranteed pass, the applicant does not have to study anything and will receive assistance with the learner licence test. One of the driving schools informed us that there is an option available where an applicant does not have to do the driver’s licence test themselves,” Mamabolo said.
Provincial government instituted investigation in 2021 into the allegations of corruption at DLTCs after the province suffered huge backlog of people struggling to secure slots for the renewal of their drivers licences. Members of the public also made allegations that there is rampant corruption at DLTCs which affects the services provided.
In the report, the investigators found that there are no controls to identify or deter possible corruption when examiners conduct the driver’s tests, especially when they leave the yard to conduct the road test.
In most instances, there are no CCTV cameras in the yard of the DLTC which can be monitored to flag irregularities. On the securing the online booking slots, Ligwa Advisory Services, which investigated DLTCs, obtained data from April 1 2019 to May 31 2021 for analysis.
From a total of 570,617 bookings made, it was found that there were 2,304 mobile numbers that were used to make more than five online bookings each during that period.
Social media searches were conducted, which revealed individuals advertised to offer the services of booking online slots at a cost of R150 to R200.
dlaminip@sowetan.co.za
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