VUYO MKIZE
vuyo.mkhize@inl.co.za
THE LID has been blown open on the alleged fraudulent and corrupt dealings of three employees from the Gauteng Department of Transport, Roads and Community Safety.
A three-month internal investigation has revealed that the three suspects were involved in creating fake confirmation letters using the department’s letterhead.
The letters indicated that people had passed Grade 12, were employees of the department and had a clean criminal record – all in exchange for R5 000.
Yesterday, a group of officials from the department swooped on the Market Street offices in which the suspects worked armed with files of documentation, ready to arrest them.
However, it seemed the suspects had been tipped off, as when the media and officials arrived at the offices, they weren’t in the building.
The department’s spokesman, Thapelo Moiloa, said: “We were tipped off by people working within the system that this was going on.
“Four out of five trainees at Boekenhout Traffic College in Pretoria were found with these false documents.
“One’s matric qualification was fraudulent, the other had a criminal record, and the rest weren’t working for the department or municipality.”
Those individuals were taken off the training programme.
Moiloa said that, through its investigations, which were done with the help of the Ekhuruleni Organised Crime Unit, the department had been able to build a “watertight case” against the suspects.
“Today, unfortunately for us and fortunately for them, they ran away, but we are still going to pursue their arrest.
“We want to send a message that siyabopha! [we arrest] because what concerns us is that, upon completing their courses, officers will be sent out on [to] our roads and, if you’re used to fraud and corruption, [you will be] most likely to use it on the roads,” he said.
Moiloa said the suspects would be charged with fraud and corruption.
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