The Gauteng Traffic Police has noted the sentence handed down to two of their former members who were attached to the Compliance Unit.
The officers, principal provincial inspector Mbanjwa and compliance officer Ntombi Khumalo, were sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment on March 24 at the Gauteng South Regional Magistrate’s Court following an incident of fraud and corruption that led to their arrest in April 2017.
Two years’ imprisonment is suspended for five years on condition that the accused are not convicted of Sec 3(a)(i)(aa) of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act 12 of 2004 which offence is committed during the period of suspension.
Their arrests were as a result of a covert operation conducted by the Hawks, National Anti-Corruption Unit (NATU) of Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) and the Gauteng Traffic Police Compliance Unit.
The officers were responsible for testing the roadworthiness of busses at the Langlaagte Vehicle Testing Station. It is alleged a bus operator took his buses for the roadworthiness test as instructed by the officials, and upon arrival at the testing centre, the officials told the bus operator to pay a certain amount for his buses to pass the roadworthiness test. The officers were tracked down and arrested in Bronkhorspruit in an intelligence-driven operation.
“Our expectation is that law enforcement officers should conduct themselves with integrity and professionalism at all times. We wish to commend the various role players for their sterling work in ensuring we root out fraud and corruption elements within the driver, learner testing centres,” said Sello Maremane, Gauteng Traffic Police spokesperson.
“Fraud and corruption derail the good intention of the existence of the rule of the law and is a major setback towards the creation of safer communities. Any form of bribery, including receiving monetary rewards in return for assisting vehicle operators with their roadworthy certificates, will be dealt with decisively,” added Maremane.
The Gauteng Traffic Police call upon the members of the public to report any law enforcement official found to be involved in any fraudulent activity on 0800 701 701.
