The City of Joburg’s Anti-Corruption Unit is clamping down on corrupt licensing centre officials and has made seven arrests.
The Hawks issued arrest warrants on 10 January for three suspects from the Sandton Licensing Department, while four suspects from the Martindale Bulk Licensing Department are already behind bars.
Read: R12 million Salga membership ongoing – Mashaba
Mayor Herman Mashaba said, “Through investigation, we have identified a total of 106 allegedly corrupt licensing centre officials, who will be arrested in the coming days and face the full might of the law. Each of the suspects will be immediately suspended pending a swift disciplinary process by the City.”
Mashaba said that between January 2008 and February last year, alleged fraudulent transactions amounting to R14 million were identified within the City of Joburg. “A total of 972 incidents were identified across the City at various licensing centres.”
A breakdown of the incidents and costs is as follows:
- 102 incidents were identified at the Martindale branch amount to about R2.1 million in losses
- At Wemmer Pan there were 25 incidents totalling R571 861
- Kliptown had seven incidents with R44 000 lost
- Langlaagte had 426 incidents totalling a R5.1 million loss
- Midrand had a reported 89 incidents with R1.3 million lost
- Randburg had 37 incidents with a total of R380 000 lost
- Roodepoort had 84 incidents with a total of R1.3 million lost
- Sandton had 202 incidents with a total of R3.8 million lost.
Mashaba said, “Through the investigation conducted by [Shadrack] Sibiya, we have determined that the problem is not limited to the City of Joburg. Between January 2008 and February 2016, these fraudulent transactions totalled R155 074 672.08 nationally.”
Read: Mashaba’s focus on revenue
Investigations were conducted by Sibiya, the former Gauteng Hawks general who is now head of the city’s forensic department.
“Corruption is deplorable and steals from the poor. When I took office, I declared corruption public enemy number one,” said Mashaba.
The arrests were made possible by the City’s Anti-Corruption Unit and the Hawks and formed part of a planned policing offensive against syndicates and corrupt licensing officials. The officials allowed motorists to illegally obtain driver’s licences, license discs and to register vehicles.
“Licensing officials would then pocket cash that would have ordinarily been paid to the City and utilised for much-needed service delivery,” he said.
“I will not rest until a clean, responsive and caring administration that puts the interests of our residents first becomes a reality in Joburg.”
Add us on Whatsapp for the latest news by adding 079 4395 345 to your contact list and just send your name to us so we can save your number. Click here to find out more about our Whatsapp policy.
