The case of 14 Mpumalanga licensing officials accused of assisting vehicle owners to avoid payment of licence fees of about R60m was postponed until February 21 next year.

The suspects appeared before the Mbombela magistrate’s court on Tuesday following their arrests on separate occasions from July.

The officials, based at various licensing offices in Mpumalanga,  are facing fraud, theft and money laundering charges. They are all out on bail.

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

The arrests followed extensive investigations involving the Road Traffic Management Corporation's national anti-corruption unit, the Hawks and the Special Investigating Unit.

The investigation found that in 2018 and 2019, the suspects allegedly manipulated the eNatis system to help motor vehicle owners avoid payment of vehicle 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 these individuals or companies before vehicle ownership was changed back to the rightful owner without any debt.

TimesLIVE