Traffic cops face bribery allegations

Several law enforcement officers attached to the city’s municipal traffic department, provincial traffic department and the police seemingly used the festive season to improve their personal finances by means of bribing erring motorists.

This became apparent following various reports received by Review from motorists who claimed to have paid bribes to law enforcement officers. Bribes demanded by officials, and in most cases paid by motorists, allegedly varied between amounts of R100 for not having a valid vehicle registration licence to R1 000 for driving under the influence of alcohol and being involved in a collision.

Motorists who spoke to Review did so on condition of anonymity.

According to a 43-year-old man from the city, he was travelling to Bela-Bela on the R101 between Polokwane and Mokopane on Christmas Eve when he was stopped at a roadblock manned by provincial traffic officials.

“My vehicle registration licence expired some time ago.

“I knew that the traffic officers could confiscate my vehicle if they wanted to. When the traffic officer said he wanted to help me if I could help him, I gave him R100, which he took. He then let me drive on without issuing a fine,” the man said.

A few days after Christmas, a 19-year-old man was driving his vehicle in the city while admittedly under the influence of alcohol, when another vehicle reversed from a driveway into his path. In an attempt to avoid a collision, the 19-year-old swerved, which resulted in him losing control of his vehicle, causing it to overturn. One of his passengers sustained minor injuries. With the assistance of a tow-truck operator, he was able to arrange with members of the Westenburg police not to open a case file or arrest him if he paid them a “fine” of R1 000.

A local school teacher also said she was able to get away without a speeding fine when she paid the municipal traffic officers who stopped her R200. She said there were four traffic officers present at the time. All the motorists Review spoke to agreed that it was “less hassle” to pay a bribe than to receive a fine, have one’s vehicle confiscated, or even be arrested.

Responding to these allegations, municipal spokesperson, Tidimalo Chuene, roads and transport spokesperson, Jimmy Machaka and provincial police spokesperson Ronél Otto said while the soliciting or accepting of bribes by law enforcement officers was illegal and would be dealt with severely, motorists should also remember that offering or paying bribes was also against the law. Any motorist caught doing so, could face a hefty fine or even serve time in jail, they warned.

“Traffic officers found to have solicited bribes from motorists will be brought to book and made to face the full might of the law both internally and criminally,” Chuene promised.

“Incidents like these should be reported to any police station. If an officer refuses to disclose his or her name, try to write down or memorise the registration number of the vehicle they are using,” Otto advised.

“We plead with motorists to report any bribery or corrupt activities to the police and our department so that remedial action may be taken,” Machaka exhorted.