Five more in court on charges of vehicle licence fraud that cost R60m

Five more licensing officials from Mpumalanga appeared in court on Wednesday in connection with the R60m motor vehicle licence fee dumping corruption scandal.

They were arrested on Tuesday morning in a joint operation by the national anti-corruption unit of the Road Traffic Management Corporation and the Hawks.

They were arrested at licensing offices in Mashishing (Lydenburg), Delmas and eMkhondo (Piet Retief).

This brings to 14 the number of officials arrested since July.

It is alleged they colluded with administrators, who worked at the help desk of the department of community safety & liaison in Mpumalanga, to conduct illicit transactions that cost the state R60m in unpaid licence fees and penalties.

In 2018 and 2019, the suspects allegedly manipulated the eNatis system to help motor vehicle owners avoid payment of licence fees and penalties owed to the state.

They allegedly changed the ownership of affected motor vehicles into the name of an unsuspecting individual, a deceased person or a dormant company.

Fees and arrear penalties would then be passed on to the unsuspecting individual or companies before vehicle ownership was changed back to the rightful owner without any debt.

The National Prosecuting Authority said Lindy Dinah Mantshwane, 45, from Mashishing, Lydia Sindiswa Maseko, 47,  from Piet Retief, Phindile Grace Maseko, 49, and Salibona Harriet Mlangeni, 47, from Delmas, and Zinhle Precious Tshabalala, 36, from Amsterdam appeared before the Nelspruit magistrate’s court on fraud, theft and money laundering charges.

They were granted bail of R15,000 each.

The NPA said the case has been postponed to December 6.

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