Five officials , including a supervisor, have been arrested in Ekurhuleni in connection with fraud and corruption relating to the registration of vehicles.
The officials were arrested at Alberton and Bedfordview licensing offices by a joint team of investigators consisting the Road Traffic Management Corporation’s National Traffic Anti-Corruption Unit, Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department’s compliance and monitoring unit as well as the South African Police’s Gauteng Special Project Unit.
These arrests are a follow up to another bust conducted last week where four Ekurhuleni Metro officials were arrested at Benoni licence department.
The five officials - three females and two males aged between 27 and 45 years - were picked up at Alberton and Bedfordview licensing offices. They have been detained at Germiston police station until Monday when they will be appearing at the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes court.
The allegation against them is that they colluded with motorists to clear outstanding vehicle licence fees and penalties by irregularly regis- tering vehicles in the names of deceased people or unsuspecting individuals before re-registering the same vehicles back to the ori- ginal owners.
The alleged scam is believed to be costing municipalities, provincial transport authorities and the RTMC about R80 million annually in unpaid vehicle registration fees and penalties.
Investigations are continuing and more suspects are expected to be arrested.
Members of the public are encouraged to report corruption activities on: 0861 400 800