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Nebo licensing grounds shut down

Frank Maponya

Frank Maponya

The Nebo traffic testing centre in Limpopo, where people from as far as Cape Town get fraudulent drivers' licences, was yesterday closed down.

At least one officer, testing official Makanyoge Christopher Thobejane, was suspended with full pay pending investigations.

Members of the anti-corruption unit from the department of roads and transport, accompanied by MEC Justice Pitso and members of the police's special investigating unit, pounced on the centre, which is alleged to be a den of corrupt licensing, early yesterday.

Though no one was arrested, Pitso said investigations were continuing into alleged corrupt activities at the centre.

A clerk was suspended early this year from the centre after allegations of corruption.

SABC3 Special Assignment last week flighted an exposè of corruption in the issuing of learners' and drivers' licences at the centre.

Pitso said it had been established that bookings for drivers' licences were done telephonically at the centre. He said this had to be done in person.

He showed Sowetan several copies of learners' licences and applications for drivers' licences with different signatures. He claimed the signatures were forged.

He said people from as far as the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal had learners' and drivers' licences issued at Nebo.

"Of grave concern is the fact that people could pay only a R3 000 bribe to traffic officers to obtain a licence," said Pitso.

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