DURBAN - The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has welcomed the heavy jail terms handed to five KwaZulu-Natal licensing officials who fraudulently helped many learner’s licence applicants pass their tests in the province.
The Durban Specialised Commercial Crimes Court sentenced the five officials, from the Umngeni licensing department in Howick, to direct imprisonment terms, ranging from four to eight years, on Monday.
The court had found them guilty of fraud in November last year, following a lengthy trial.
Spokesperson Simon Zwane said the five officials were part of the 19 people who were arrested on March 6, 2018, when the National Traffic Anti-Corruption Unit of the Road Traffic Management Corporation and the Hawks raided the uMngeni Local Municipality.
All officials were charged with fraud after months of investigations found that examiners were helping applicants pass their learner licence tests.
The examiners used a concealed light-emitting device to surreptitiously point out the correct answers to the applicants, enabling them to pass without knowledge of the rules of the road.
Zwane said the RTMC welcomed the judgment as it sent a clear message that fraud, corruption and lawlessness would not be tolerated in the sector. All officials had been dismissed after lengthy disciplinary processes.
RTMC chief executive advocate Makhosini Msibi said: “Those who are committing a crime in our licensing must be prepared to do time in prison for their corrupt practices.”
Advocate Msibi commended the investigating and prosecuting team for a job well done.
The official’s sentenced:
- Dumisani Nkala, a traffic officer, was a management representative at the time of his arrest. He has been found guilty on 49 counts of fraud and was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment suspended for five years due to his health conditions. He was also placed under house arrest for 18 months and ordered to perform community service for 16 hours a month for 12 months of the sentence.
- Lindiwe Xulu, an examiner of driving licences, was found guilty on 158 counts of fraud and was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment.
- Meshack Ndlovu, a traffic officer, was found guilty on seven counts and was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment.
- Nkosinathi Zondi, an examiner of driving licences, was found guilty on 276 counts and was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment.
- Dumisani Phungula, an examiner of driving licences, was found guilty on 15 counts of fraud and was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment.
Hawks spokesperson Captain Simphiwe Mhlongo said they had received information about fraud and corruption activities at the uMngeni Municipality Testing Centre from the RTMC in 2017.
A joint operation was conducted and it was discovered that officials were assisting applicants to pass their driver’s learners test.
Mhlongo said investigations had revealed that examiners were pointing out correct answers to learners on the computer screens. A gratification of up to R3 000 was allegedly paid by each learner before the test.
He said all counts against each accused were taken as one for the purpose of sentencing.
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