Buying licences seems to be the norm

File photo: Itumeleng English

File photo: Itumeleng English

Published Jun 10, 2013

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The problem of people buying their driving licences is so bad that seven out of 10 Durban driving schools, randomly selected by the Daily News, were willing to be involved with bribing officials.

Two of the schools were so blasé they quoted a price over the phone, with five being more cautious and requesting a face-to-face meeting before talking about money.

From the calls it became apparent that a “guaranteed” driving licence would cost R1000 to R1500, or more.

Not only can the paying of bribes lead to incompetent drivers being allowed on the road, but it can put a substantial burden on people needing a licence. It can block access to job opportunities if people cannot afford a bribe, according to some learner drivers interviewed.

The Daily News had called the schools after receiving a letter from reader Andrew Green of Glenwood, who was so disgusted after he came across what to him was clear collusion between the driving school and the examiner, that he wants to start a national campaign to revolutionise the testing system.

The system should give people a fair chance to pass, Green said. He wrote to the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Willies Mchunu, demanding an investigation be launched into corruption.

He told the Daily News that prior to a family friend’s daughter being tested, the driving school instructor had told her it would be very difficult to pass without paying R2 000 upfront for a guarantee, and predicted she would fail in the first five minutes.

When she did not pay, she was failed in under four minutes, Green said. He was angry and believes it was an attempt to extort a bribe.

FAILED

He asked if the transport ministry had the will to investigate, to see just how many learner drivers were failed in the first five minutes in the past six months at the Rossburgh Testing Centre.

He questioned if there was a will to set up traps to uncover the fraud with hidden cameras.

Asked to comment on the Daily News’s findings, transport spokesman, Kwanele Ncalane, said the department was the first to admit that driving licence bribery, fraud and corruption was rife. He acknowledged the fault on the part of inspectors, but said the department had identified driving schools as the “middle men” in facilitating bribery.

Ncalane said the department intended rolling out the installation of camera systems which, he said, was found to be one of the most effective ways of curbing corruption.

He said the MEC had met driving school owners and a joint committee was formed.

It would look at issues such as registering and standardising driving school operations to legitimise their operations.

“We will be going all over the province and consulting driving schools on what their frustrations are and what we can do to stop this culture of bribery and corruption.”

Green believes inspectors should be screened.

“They should be tested on how much they revere the law. We can’t just hand out a uniform which stands for something so important to people who will not set an example by being upstanding and obeying the rules of the road.”

The blame should be laid on all sides, he said.

“You can’t bribe without inspectors, driving schools and the learner drivers being involved. Driving schools should train their clients properly so there is no need for a bribe.”

From the responses the Daily News got from our random survey of driving schools, bribery is rampant, but it appears as if at least one part of the training is being done properly.

One driving instructor issued a proviso after quoting for a bribe: The learner driver must not hit any poles during the parking tests in the yard, because the cameras will capture it; it would raise suspicions about why the person passed.

Ten driving schools were selected at random from the Yellow Pages, and each one was told that the reporter had just got her learner’s licence.

The conversations were about the cost involved, and ultimately led to the question: How much would a “guaranteed” pass cost?

School 1 – Must pass yard test

The instructor quoted R1200 for a “guaranteed” pass from the outset. This, she said, could be paid at any testing centre in Durban. However, it came with the proviso that the learner driver would have to pass the yard test legitimately and payment would guarantee a pass on the road.

School 2 – Denial

A more cautious instructor initially said there was no such thing as a “guaranteed” pass.

However, he asked to meet face-to-face to discuss a “guaranteed” pass, but said it did not exist. “I don’t discuss that over the phone; come to the office and we can talk then.”

School 3 – Face to face

“I don’t go around talking about such things. Why don’t you come see me?”

School 4– Last resort

“You must at least try once then we will see, come see me, we’ll talk,” the instructor said.

School 5 – What are you talking about?

“No we, I don’t understand what you mean by ‘guaranteed license fee’? Sorry, I can’t talk to you about that. Now why don’t you come and see me?”

School 6 – How it is done

The tune also changed with a driving school instructor who said: “I will teach you, there is no need for a bribe.” However, reluctant to lose a potential student, he later said: “If you want to pay the bribe it’s around R1 000. You give it to me, I put it in an envelope and leave it in the car… I don’t like to discuss this over the phone.”

School 7– Blind eye

Preferring to turn a blind, but knowing eye, a driving school owner said he did not condoned bribery, but, “if you take lessons with us, you can talk to the instructor. It’s between you and him.”

School 8 – Christian beliefs

Prevented by his Christian beliefs, he was not interested

in contributing to corruption which is so rife. “My clients come through referrals, so they know where I stand.”

He said he was so dead set against bribery that he goes as far as to avoid contact with inspectors when his learner drivers go for tests.

“I just stay away from everything. These untrained drivers buy their way onto our streets and cause accidents; I don’t want that on my conscience.”

School 9 – Nerves

Nerves contribute to some students failing, said a driving instructor, but he does not know whether some of his students fail because of this or because he does not organise bribes.

“One of my students was told by an instructor, ‘If you help me, I will help you”.’ She didn’t understand.”

He said he was losing out on clients. “They (learner drivers) ask me straight out if they can pay bribes. I say ‘no’ and they walk away. This is definitely affecting business.”

He said this was more the case with men than women.

School 10 – Losing out

Choosing not to pay bribes, despite the effect it has on her business, a driving school owner said: “Some of my students only passed around the third try. I may be losing out on students who want to pay the bribe, but… I produce more competent drivers. If that’s just the way the cookie crumbles, I don’t want to be part of it.”

-Daily News

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