Taxi driver convicted for bribing Traffic Officers
The Road Traffic Management Corporation has welcomed the six months sentence handed down to a Pretoria taxi driver who tried to bribe traffic officers with a R200 note.
The Atteridgeville Regional Court sentenced the driver, Mr Thabani Nqakula today (Monday, 25 March). Mr Nqakula’s conviction follows his arrest by members of the National Traffic Police in January this year.
He was stopped for driving an un-roadworthy vehicle on a public road. He offered the officers a R200 bribe to avoid receiving a traffic fine. He was arrested immediately and charged with bribery.
The court found him guilty of the charge and sentenced him to six months imprisonment or R3000 fine. He was further given a three-year sentence suspended for five years.
The NTP has arrested about 50 motorists since the beginning of the year for bribery. The cases are at various stages of prosecution in different courts in Gauteng.
RTMC CEO Advocate Makhosini Msibi has applauded the NTP for their success in obtaining a conviction in this criminal matter.
“This conviction will send to a message to motorists that they can no longer break traffic laws with impunity. Our traffic officers are no longer prepared to have their good name tarnished by motorists who are not prepared to obey the rules of the road,” he said.
He called on all traffic officers to show zero tolerance to anyone who attempted to corrupt them. He said South Africa needed traffic officers who are prepared to enforce the law without fear or favour in order to reduce the high number of road fatalities.
Enquiries:
Simon Zwane:
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