About 14 suspects between the ages of 34 and 59, were arrested during a joint operation in Sabie, Graskop, Lydenburg and Verena for fraud, corruption and contravening the National Road Traffic Act on Monday.
Their arrest follows an investigation conducted by the Hawks Mpumalanga based Serious Corruption Investigation in collaboration with the National Road Traffic Management Corporation.
This is in relation to drivers licence testing examiners colluding with driving school owners to issue learners and drivers licences to applicants without following due processes by not conducting routine tests and assisting the applicants when they write learners licences.
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In 2021 the Directorate For Priority Crime Investigation established the Kwanele Operation and investigations commenced. Warrant of arrests were authorised and executed at different testing stations simultaneously. The suspects were arrested, charged and some made their first appearances. Others were remanded in custody pending their appearances in court today.
It is alleged that applicants were assisted or given answers by the examiners who were working with driving school owners to facilitate the exercise. Driver’s licences were allegedly issued to applicants without being tested after paying exorbitant amounts of cash.
