Andrew Hlongwane
Andrew Hlongwane
It was a broad daylight drama on the other side of the city of Nelspruit in Mpumalanga yesterday
This after two Mbombela testing station officers were arrested at work for suspected fraud.
The organised crime unit had visited some of the stations to nab criminals and those who promoted criminal activity in the province.
Two traffic officials, a man and a woman from Mbombela testing station, were nabbed from behind their desks.
The crime unit pounced on the two officers in front of their colleagues.
Unit spokesman Leonard Hlathi told Sowetan that their investigations followed complaints that people were being charged large amounts for services they should pay less for and that some officials were issuing permits for unroadworthy vehicles.
One complainant allegedly had paid R561 for the duplication of his vehicle's papers, which was supposed to cost only R61. The complainant was issued with a receipt reflecting R61.
The complainant called the testing station to check whether it was fair to pay more and get a receipt for less.
Hlathi said the incident sparked the investigations.
The woman official is suspected of 24 counts of fraud for allegedly issuing 24 permits for unroadworthy vehicles.
The male officer is accused of fraudulently issuing 10 permits for unroadworthy vehicles.
During a search conducted in Bhekiswayo Trust in White River on Friday, the unit confiscated about 83 floppy discs, a computer, a laptop, 100 temporary driving licences, 200 plastic licence covers, four Swaziland driving licences that were already made and two fraudulent motor discs and one fake transport permit.
They also found 60 ID copies awaiting applications for drivers' licences. The owner of the house was not in and is still at large.
It was not clear how the two testing station traffic officers were linked with the items found during the search.
The two are expected to appear in the Nelspruit magistrate court today on charges of corruption and fraud.
Investigating officer Captain Jerry Maphanga appealed to residents who may have been victims of the scam to contact the Nelspruit police.
duo nabbed for fake LICENCES
Andrew Hlongwane
Andrew Hlongwane
It was a broad daylight drama on the other side of the city of Nelspruit in Mpumalanga yesterday
This after two Mbombela testing station officers were arrested at work for suspected fraud.
The organised crime unit had visited some of the stations to nab criminals and those who promoted criminal activity in the province.
Two traffic officials, a man and a woman from Mbombela testing station, were nabbed from behind their desks.
The crime unit pounced on the two officers in front of their colleagues.
Unit spokesman Leonard Hlathi told Sowetan that their investigations followed complaints that people were being charged large amounts for services they should pay less for and that some officials were issuing permits for unroadworthy vehicles.
One complainant allegedly had paid R561 for the duplication of his vehicle's papers, which was supposed to cost only R61. The complainant was issued with a receipt reflecting R61.
The complainant called the testing station to check whether it was fair to pay more and get a receipt for less.
Hlathi said the incident sparked the investigations.
The woman official is suspected of 24 counts of fraud for allegedly issuing 24 permits for unroadworthy vehicles.
The male officer is accused of fraudulently issuing 10 permits for unroadworthy vehicles.
During a search conducted in Bhekiswayo Trust in White River on Friday, the unit confiscated about 83 floppy discs, a computer, a laptop, 100 temporary driving licences, 200 plastic licence covers, four Swaziland driving licences that were already made and two fraudulent motor discs and one fake transport permit.
They also found 60 ID copies awaiting applications for drivers' licences. The owner of the house was not in and is still at large.
It was not clear how the two testing station traffic officers were linked with the items found during the search.
The two are expected to appear in the Nelspruit magistrate court today on charges of corruption and fraud.
Investigating officer Captain Jerry Maphanga appealed to residents who may have been victims of the scam to contact the Nelspruit police.