drivers licenses may be nullified shortly
31 May 2007
More than 10 000 drivers licenses issued by eight drivers license testing
centres in the province could be nullified unless affected licence holders
lodge appeals within 14 days with the Department, motivating why such action
should not be taken against them.
Approximately 60 percent of the unlawfully issued drivers' licenses
originate from the Potchefstroom centre (southern region).
This stern warning comes against the back drop of an ongoing investigation
by the Traffic Law Administration Unit of the Department, which began in 2005
to date has uncovered alarming discrepancies in procedures to acquire a
learners driver licenses at eight centres.
Our thorough inspection of the applicants' files from the Potchefstroom
centre and others suggest gross maladministration on the part of inspectors
also coupled with suspected acts of fraud and corruption may have occurred.
"This is an ongoing investigation which in the process stumbles upon
evidence of possible irregularities which suggest to us that quite a number of
drivers licenses issued at these centres should not have been issued in the
first place," said Transport MEC Jerry Thibedi.
"Our analysis of the files and records retrieved from these centres clearly
suggests that unlawful and wrongful acts may have occurred during the process
leading to the issuing of drivers licences to a number of applicants," MEC
confirmed.
Investigations are at a very delicate stage, to also establish whether the
affected drivers licences were issued fraudulently and through corrupt
activities.
In terms the of the Road Traffic Act (93) of 1996, the Department's Traffic
Law Administration Unit is legally bound to conduct annual inspections of all
license testing centres in the province.
Its mandate includes scrutinising all documentation in respect of all
learner and driver licenses issued to determine whether irregularities may have
occurred during the process leading to the issuing of the driver license.
The vehicle testing stations inspected and being investigated are:
Potchefstroom with more than 7 000 cases, Rustenburg (560), Brits (460),
Temba (Hammanskraal) (555), Mabopane (1 614), Bloemhof (146), Coligny (58) and
Zeerust (48).
The case file from Temba and Mabopane (formerly eastern region) are to be
handed over to Gauteng province to finalise.
The Department has informed and warned affected license holders who obtained
their driver licenses from any of the above centres of possible
nullifications.
The affected licence holders are urged to petition the Department within 14
days from the date they received a correspondence on the matter and motivate
why their driver licenses should not be cancelled.
If no response is received from the affected licence holder, the Department
may unilaterally cancel their licenses.
Our investigations in Potchefstroom, furthermore found that more than 50
percent of the applicants for learners licenses did an oral examination.
This is an exception (i.e. oral examination) as applicants' first ought to
obtain permission in writing and apply to the Executing Authority (MEC) to
grant such permission, as required by the Act.
No such applications from applicants were ever received.
Over and above that the licensing records obtained from the said facility
are plagued with irregularities in terms of points allocated to applicants by
some inspectors.
Irregularities in other centres vary from inspectors issuing licenses to
applicants in absentia and others applicants issued with driver licenses for
the codes they never applied for.
Most of the files from Potchefstroom centre have been handed over to the
special investigating unit for further investigation.
Disciplinary action would also be taken against examiners some of whom are
employed by municipalities.
Contact:
Matshube Mfoloe
Director of Communications
Cell: 082 305 45 94
Issued by: Department of Transport, Roads and Community Safety, North West
Provincial Government
31 May 2007
