The Road Traffic Management Corporation welcomes the sentences imposed on three Eastern Cape vehicle testing officials and the dismissal from work of a KwaZulu Natal learner licence examiner for corruption and fraud.
The Port Elizabeth Commercial Crimes Court has sentenced three vehicle-testing officials to imprisonment terms ranging from three years correctional supervision to six years behind bars.
The three were part of eight officials arrested by members of the National Traffic Anti Corruption Unit and the police in October 2017 during Project Power that target allegedly corrupt officials at vehicle testing stations and driver learner testing centres in the Eastern Cape.
The court sentenced Nkosinathi Kwadwese to six years direct imprisonment for fraudulently producing license discs, learner and driver’s licenses.
Another suspect Officer Daluxolo Jack was sentenced to five year for corruption, and another five years for fraud. Both sentences were suspended for five years and the convict was placed under correctional supervision for a period of three years as per Correctional Service Act, Section 276(1) H.
The third suspect officer Luzuko Mqushulwu was sentenced to three years for fraud and five years for corruption. Both sentences were suspended for five years and the convict was placed under correctional supervision for a period of three years.
Meanwhile the presiding officer in Howick has recommended the dismissal of a traffic officer involved in a scandal that saw learner licence applicants obtaining vehicle-driving documents without being properly examined.
Skhumbuzo Mkhulise pleaded guilty to a charge of gross misconduct and admitted that on that he and Lindiwe Xulu had unlawfully assisted learner licence applicants answer test examination questions and enabled them to obtain learner’s license unlawfully and in violation of the National Road Traffic Act.
The presiding officer found that the fact the Mkhulise had been a traffic officer for 15 years entails that he was responsible for upholding the law and “in that role he had to be above reproach in the execution of his duties at all times”.
“He may have gotten caught committing the offence on his very first or second day on the job as a newly recruited examiner, but that does not detract from the fact that he committed a grossly dishonest act that would ultimately have no other consequence but destroy the employment relationship with his employer to the extent that even redeployment to another section cannot repair it,” said the presiding officer.
The Chief Executive Officer of the RTMC, Advocate Makhosini Msibi has congratulated the National Traffic Police-Anti Corruption investigators for the convictions of the officers and urged them to intensify their work as part of efforts to improve safety of South African roads.
“Far too many innocent people die on the roads due to the negligent conduct of unqualified drivers. The RTMC will continue mobilising other role players and anti-corruption forces to wage a total onslaught on corruption and fraud that has become endemic in the traffic law enforcement sector,” said Adv. Msibi.
Members of the public are called upon to report corruption and bribery on 0861 400 800 or email [email protected]
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