TWO traffic officials from the Eastern Cape have made their first appearance in the Mthatha Specialised Commercial Crime Court on charges of fraud and corruption.
The traffic officers, Mzikayise Ngalo, 50, and Peter Mvumvu, 60, were arrested on Thursday at the Maclear and Lady Frere testing stations, respectively.
Provincial spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), Captain Yolisa Mgolodela, yesterday said that in February 2010, information about alleged corrupt activities taking place at the Butterworth Traffic Department were received.
It was alleged the officers were issuing learner licences unlawfully.
According to Mgolodela, the matter was reported to the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Team in Mthatha for further investigation.
It was further reported that the two officers resigned from the Butterworth Traffic Department as soon as they got wind of an investigation into their alleged corrupt activities.
During their appearance yesterday, Ngalo and Mvumvu were released on a warning by the court.
They are expected back in the same court on October 4, for their legal representatives to come on record.
Provincial head of the Hawks, Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya, commended the investigating team for the success.
In a separate incident earlier this week, Anwar Gaffor appeared in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crime Court on charges of tax return fraud.
The Hawks said that Gaffor allegedly submitted various fraudulent tax returns to the SA Revenue Service (SARS) which resulted in the receiver of revenue potentially losing R1 million in 2020.
The timeous intervention by the internal auditors ensured that the actual loss amounted to R300 000.
Gaffor was granted R1 000 bail and his case has been postponed until October 13.
IOL