Six people arrested for their alleged involvement in the sale of driver's licences in Klerksdorp, in the North West, were released on bail of R3,000 each after appearing in court on Wednesday.

Four were arrested in Klerksdorp and on Tuesday and two handed themselves over to police.

The suspects are three examiners, Lucky Kamete, 31, Walter Thomi, 43, and  Zacharia Tlosang, 44, driving school owner Koos Mogole, 44, and runners Gigs Seleka, 33, and Teboho Solomon, 31.

Their case was postponed to April 5.

The arrests followed a two-year investigation, dubbed Operation KPS, by the Road Traffic Management Corporation’s (RTMC) national traffic anti-corruption unit and the police.

The investigation revealed that examiners were allegedly colluding with driving school operators to have learner's and driver's licences fraudulently issued to aspiring drivers without requiring them to undergo the required tests.

It was established that the syndicate had hijacked centres in Klerksdorp, Potchefstroom and Stilfontein.

The RTMC said driving school operators allegedly played a pivotal role by booking aspirant drivers, arranging eye tests with local optometrists and co-ordinating examiners to ensure that licences were issued.

“In some instances, driving schools organised jockeys (qualified drivers) who undertook driving tests on behalf of aspirant drivers,” it said.

The RTMC said 10 licensing officials from Harrismith in the Free State were due to appear in the regional court on May 25 on similar charges of fraud related to the issuing of driver's licences.

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