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Delay in sentencing KZN officials who 'helped' drivers get learner's licenses

The sentencing of the five KZN licensing office officials accused of hundreds of counts of fraud has been delayed.
The sentencing of the five KZN licensing office officials accused of hundreds of counts of fraud has been delayed.
Image: 123RF/HONGQI ZHANG

Five former employees of the uMngeni licensing office in Howick, near Pietermaritzburg, will have to wait until next month to know the consequences of their corruption and fraud. 

Their case was postponed in the specialised commercial crimes court on Wednesday because of the unavailability of social workers' reports on some of the convicted officials.

The case returns to court on March 2.

Dumisani Nkala, Lindiwe Xulu, Meshack Ndlovu, Nkosinathi Zondi and Dumisani Phungula were found to have helped scores of motor vehicle learner’s licence applicants to pass their tests.

On Tuesday the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) said the five officials were among 19 people arrested when the national traffic anti-corruption unit of the RTMC and the Hawks raided the municipality in June 2018.

“The court found the five guilty of fraud in November 2020 following a lengthy trial. Their conviction followed the five-year sentences handed down to 10 motor vehicle learner’s licence applicants in 2019,” said the RTMC.

“An examiner of driving licences, Skhumbuzo Mkhulise, was found guilty and sentenced to four years imprisonment or a R10,000 fine in February last year.”

Nkala, a traffic officer who was a management representative at the time of his arrest, was found guilty on 49 counts of fraud. Xulu, an examiner of driving licences, was found guilty on 158 counts of fraud.

Ndlovu, a traffic officer, was found guilty on seven counts. Zondi, an examiner of driving licences, was found guilty on 276 counts. Phungula, an examiner of driving licences, was found guilty on 15 counts of fraud.

According to the RTMC, the officials, acting as examiners, would use a concealed light-emitting device to surreptitiously point to the correct answers for applicants, enabling them to pass without knowing the rules of the road.

“All the officials have been dismissed after lengthy disciplinary processes. A former manager, Roger Everton, and a senior administration clerk, Wayeeda Mansoor, are still on trial. A process has  been put in place to follow up on more than 500 identified individuals who benefited from the fraudulent activities of the officials.”

TimesLIVE


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