Pretoria – The elite crime-fighting unit of the SAPS, the Hawks, said on Wednesday an additional two traffic officials in Limpopo have been sentenced for corruption by the Tzaneen Magistrate’s Court, bringing the total number of convicted officers to seven.
Captain Matimba Maluleke, the Limpopo Hawks spokesperson, said the officers were nabbed in a multi-unit operation in 2017.
“The Hawks’ serious corruption investigation teamed up with the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) in an operation dubbed Siyabangena in December 2017 and arrested 13 traffic officials in Tzaneen and Bolobedu respectively,” said Maluleke.
“Their arrest follows a public outcry about corrupt activities on our roads.
’’Instead of issuing summons to motorists who contravened the Road Traffic Act, the officials opted to take gratification, particularly from those who were caught exceeding the speed limit. The gratification was between R100 and R2 000.”
Maluleke said Mabogo Tshifhelimbilu, 43, and Nhlamulo Shivambu, 34, were each sentenced to a R20 000 fine or four years' imprisonment, with half suspended for five years on condition they do not commit the same offences during the period of suspension.
He said the duo’s co-accused, Clifford Lubisi, was set to receive judgment on August 31.
Earlier this month, at least 13 Tshwane Metro Police Department officers arrested for alleged corruption and malfeasance appeared in various courts within the metro.
The RTMC said the 13 officers were aged between 32 and 57.
African News Agency (ANA)