Safety and Liaison Mr Bheki Cele, at a media briefing on fraudulent licences,
held at the Hilton Hotel, Durban
8 November 2006
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport has instituted an investigation
into nine of its officials from the Road Traffic Inspectorate at the Rossburgh
Testing Stations for their alleged involvement in fraud and corruption
activities. One official by the name of Mr AC Naidoo has been suspended for a
serious sexual harassment case, four are awaiting disciplinary enquiries and
the remaining four officials are being investigated. This comes after the
department launched its High-Tech driver certification system in Rossburgh,
which has begun to yield good results. The system was launched during October
Transport Month last year (2005).
The department has gathered extensive watertight evidence from the new
computerised camera system to assist with the investigation to prosecute the
culprits, who have been charged for allegedly engaging in corrupt and
fraudulent activities.
These kinds of alarming reports are a complete drawback to the department.
Wwe are terribly saddened and disappointed about officials who choose to starve
their families and lose their jobs over futile activities. Our slogan 'From
Zero Tolerance to 100% Compliance' will apply in all sectors of governance and
administration within the Department of Transport. The department wishes to
warn and urge all other officers who are still conducting corrupt activities
that the long arm of the law will soon reach them.
The department is beginning to link corruption in the department with other
stakeholders, driving schools and vehicle testing stations. The battle between
driving schools and the department has been fuelled by the fact that the new
system prevented all possible corrupt activities.
Since the installation of the Driver Certification Centre in Rossburgh the
pass rate has dropped from 55% to 15%. This shows a clear indication that the
issuing of licences and the manner in which tests were conducted was highly
questionable.
The Department of Transport will further speed up the rollout process to all
other stations in the province, in order to proactively address all unforeseen
challenges ahead. The revamped driver certification centre has been installed
in Pinetown and Pietermaritzburg testing grounds to date.
The department would like to thank all members of the public who have
submitted their affidavits in making it possible to arrest officials who are
crippling our service delivery mandate. We urge all departmental officials to
hold on to the ideals of defending the weak by ensuring safety of the people of
the province.
The Department of Transport will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that
our roads are safe and protected from illegal drag racing activities. The
department has strengthened policing around the notorious areas; thus far we
have confiscated 600 illegally modified drag racing vehicles.
No to fake licences.
Enquiries:
Nonkululeko Mbatha
Cell: 083 645 6252
Issued by: Office of the MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison,
KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
8 November 2006
Source: Department of Transport, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government (http://www.kzntransport.gov.za)
