Eight people have been sentenced for bribery in the vehicle testing scandal. Picture: File
In a step towards ensuring integrity in South Africa’s vehicle testing industry, the judiciary has taken a firm stance against corruption with the sentencing of eight individuals involved in two separate cases.
Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) spokesperson Simon Zwane said in Mpumalanga, a traffic officer was sentenced to four years’ direct imprisonment for accepting a R200 bribe from undercover anti-corruption agents.
Zwane said a sting operation was conducted in 2019 by members of the National Traffic Anti-Corruption Unit (NTACU), a division of the Road Traffic Management Corporation, and the Mpumalanga division of Hawks, to catch traffic officers who were coercing motorists to pay bribes on the N4 near Middelburg.
He said Zanele Christian Vilakazi, 39, and Andrew Bongani Simphiwe Nkosi, 48, were arrested during the operation and charged with corruption.
“After a lengthy trial, the court found them guilty and handed down a four-year custodial sentence,” he said. However, before the conclusion of the trial, Nkosi died while Vilakazi started serving her sentence last month.
In December, the National Traffic Police arrested 22 motorists for alleged bribery at various locations in Limpopo.
In a separate matter, the Polokwane Commercial Crimes Court sentenced seven officials employed by a privately owned vehicle testing company to five years’ imprisonment or a fine of R20 000 for issuing roadworthy certificates to vehicles that they never tested.
The seven officials include Pieter Schutte, 68, Marisca Erasmus, 34, Lebogang Rapetsoa, 30, Democracy Khangale, 36, Thapelo Medupi, 42, Makwena Mashala, 34, and Mphokane Medupi, 41.
Zwane said the accused were found guilty of 51 charges of fraud for transactions conducted at the Palala private testing station in Lephalale in 2019. He said the seven accused were arrested in 2019 following investigations by the NTACU and the serious corruption team of the Hawks.
“In April 2019, members of the National Traffic Anti-Corruption Unit received a complaint from the South African Revenue Service that vehicles they had impounded at their facility in Mpumalanga were issued with roadworthy certificates by Palala testing station without the vehicles being physically presented for testing,” said Zwane.
Zwane said this led to the immediate launch of an investigation, which resulted in the suspects being arrested and charged with fraud, or contravening the National Road Traffic Act.
“When the investigation team visited the station, they found the officials processing roadworthy certificates for vehicles that were not present at the station,” he added.
According to Zwane, the accused were found guilty on July 31, 2024. They appeared in court again on Wednesday this week and were sentenced to five years’ imprisonment or a R20 000 fine.
“The RTMC welcomes this sentence as it sends a message that there are consequences for crime irrespective of whether it is committed at a privately owned company.”
While the seven accused will not be able to work at any testing station in South Africa again, Zwane said the RTMC would have preferred a custodial sentence because unroadworthy vehicles are a menace on the country’s roads, causing avoidable crashes and fatalities.
In December, the RTMC reported that 9 309 vehicles were discontinued and declared unfit to be operated on public roads after various violations were found when they were inspected.
In November, scores of unroadworthy vehicles were removed from the roads following a massive pre-dawn crackdown by the National Traffic Police, NTACU, Tshwane Metro Police, and SAPS, who conducted checks on local taxis operating in Soshanguve.
RTMC said a total of 264 local taxis were removed from the road and inspected for defects and compliance with road regulations, while 18 were impounded for various defects.
The RTMC appealed to members of the public to report acts of bribery and corruption by sending a WhatsApp on (083) 293-7989 or by calling 012 999 5407.
karen.singh@inl.co.za