The Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison is in the process of recovering more than R35 million of revenue lost due to fraud in Kwamhlanga and Siyabuswa licencing stations.
The department discovered that licence disks of motor vehicles and trucks especially fleets of certain companies were fraudulently issued late last year.
The syndicate in the fraud allegedly involves largely truck owners and fleet vehicles of certain companies. The syndicate is believed to have fraudulently renewed vehicle registration discs and illegally written off penalty fees.
Community Safety, Security and Liaison spokesperson in Mpumalanga, Moeti Mmusi says an investigation is underway and no arrests have been made so far.
“Initially, the report indicated that the department had lost about R28 million between 6 and 9 October. It later emerged that more than R7 million had been lost by 2 November. So, in essence, we are talking about R35 million plus. This happened when some syndicates or individuals colluded with some officials to steal login details in KaMhlanga and Siyabuswa in order to do license discs remotely not necessarily at the affected centres.”
Since 2020, about 20 officials have been arrested and just this year, three fleet owners were arrested for the multi-million fraud and corruption. These matters are in court, and more are being sought including motorists.
As investigations are ongoing and the department is adamant it will recover the lost revenue. “All the money the government has lost as a result of these activities will be fully recovered and…mark will be placed by the department on this licence disc so there is something wrong with them when their owners come forward then they will be made to pay even fines that were legally set aside by this syndicate or the officials the investigation as we speak is underway to pinpoint what could have caused this problem,” Mmusi adds.
The Road Traffic Management Corporation will soon roll out and install biometrics for officials to use fingerprints to access the system.
Video: Licence disc fraud and corruption bust in Mpumalanga
