The EMPD said it is conducting a full-scale investigation into alleged misconduct at the Ekurhuleni Traffic Licence Department in Springs.
This comes after driving school operators in Springs said they were fed up with the ever-increasing bribe demands made by examiners. The examiners are employees of the metro.
When questioned about the practice, spokesperson for the EMPD, Lieutenant Colonel Kelebogile Thepa, said:
“One cannot indicate that such a practice is not in existence and thereof commonality. Though continuous engagements and/ or meetings are held between the manager, the senior examiner as the management team with the examiners to discourage the practice if in existence and a reminder of their duties and adherence to the National Road Traffic Act 93(96).”
She further explained that, from the station level a few measures are put in place to name but a few:
• As a manager along with the senior examiner, would sit in the learner licence class during examinations of learners.
• Periodically they would observe directly and indirectly also partaking in practical testing of learner drivers.
• Any misappropriate activities are upon occurring, reported to our monitoring and evaluation unit for possible prosecutions.
• At the station continuously hold stakeholder meetings with the driving schools wherein they will voice out any challenges encountered and such are resolved at those engagement meetings. Thus this becomes a grave concern as such has never been raised or reported in the engagement forum.
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Various platforms are put in place and open to the public to report such behavior from examiners, to name but a few:
• The manager and his/ her representative, the senior examiner, are always available to address such also contacted on 072 518 7526.
• Stakeholder meetings with the driving schools are happening, wherein the Springs driving schools appointed their own representative at their own accord.
• The contacts of the managers at station level immediate supervisor are readily available, being Sam Sibeko 0835412907 and also of the divisional head Hamilton Ledwaba on 066 262 4520.
• As the City OF Ekurhuleni we have a public electronic complaints platform for the attention of the community.
• Our council vehicles are branded with stickers that show the number wherein any fraudulent activities may be reported which are parked, seen, and visible to all.
The city’s hotline 0860 543 000 can be used to report such illegal activities, furthermore, the SAPS is where a case can be registered. The complainant must provide full details/ description of the alleged offender, to be brought to book.
