In Crackdown on Corrupt South African Licensing Officials, 8 More Arrested

At least 75 officials working at motor vehicle licensing centres around South Africa have been singled out for fraud and corruption in the last two years, and eight were arrested on Friday in Standerton after helping falsify documents for 87 trucks, according to the National Traffic Police.

The NTP, also known as the Road Traffic Management Corporation, and the police have been investigating allegations of improper vehicle ownership registration at licensing centres throughout the country since 2017, the RTMC said in a statement.

At least 75 officials had been identified so far. The eight are to appear in court on Monday, accused of falsifying vehicle ownership registration on the national traffic information system to enable truck owners to avoid payment of vehicle licensing fees including penalties and arrears.

The Mpumalanga government was thought to have lost at least R67 million in this scam, the statement said.