KEY POINTS
- Three former Kouga Municipality employees arrested for allegedly issuing fraudulent driving licences without proper testing, following a three-year SAPS probe.
- Nationwide crackdown intensifies, with links to past cases like the 2024 Melmoth scandal, where 33 were arrested for similar offences.
- Authorities warn fraudulent licence holders, vowing to remove them from roads and prosecute them to improve road safety.
Three former employees of the Kouga Local Municipality are scheduled to appear before the Humansdorp Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, facing multiple charges including fraud, corruption, and contraventions of the National Road Traffic Act 93 of 1996.
According to IOL, the arrests come after a three-year investigation by the South African Police Service (SAPS) Anti-Corruption Unit, which uncovered systemic misconduct at the Humansdorp Traffic Department.
The accused, aged between 49 and 55, worked as examiners and allegedly issued driving licences without conducting mandatory physical driving tests. Authorities believe hundreds of fraudulent licences may have been distributed over several years, posing a severe risk to road safety.
“This arrest demonstrates our dedication to rooting out corruption in the public sector, which poses a serious risk to road users,” said Acting Provincial Commissioner Major General Zithulele Dladla. He warned that similar operations are underway across the country to dismantle illegal licensing networks.
Kouga: Related cases and nationwide crackdown
The Kouga case is not isolated. In 2024, 33 individuals were arrested in KwaZulu-Natal for a similar scheme at the Melmoth Driving Licence Centre. The Department of Transport revoked all permits linked to the fraud, and investigations continue to identify beneficiaries of these illicit licences.
Ndabezinhle Sibiya, spokesperson for the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport, reiterated the government’s stance: “Our message is clear—fraudulent drivers who obtained licences through illegal means will be removed from the roads, arrested, and jailed. This initiative is crucial to reducing road accidents and saving innocent lives.”
Experts warn that fraudulent licences contribute to South Africa’s high road fatality rate. The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) estimates that up to 15% of drivers on the roads may possess unlawfully obtained permits.
Civil society groups have applauded the arrests but demand stricter oversight of licensing centres. “Corruption in traffic departments has been rampant for years. These arrests are a step forward, but systemic reforms are needed,” said Thandiwe Mbeki of the South African Road Safety Initiative.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has confirmed that additional suspects, including alleged middlemen who facilitated bribes, may soon face charges. Meanwhile, motorists with suspicious licences are urged to regularise their documents voluntarily or risk prosecution
