The 14 suspects arrested by the Hawks in the North West on Monday for alleged driver’s licence fraud are expected to appear in court this morning.
The suspects, aged between 29 and 66, include seven traffic examiners, four driving school owners and three driving school instructors, provincial Hawks spokesperson, Captain Tlangelani Rikhotso, said.
The suspects were arrested in Potchefstroom and Mogwase following an investigation, which started in 2017, aimed at addressing fraudulent and corrupt activities at traffic stations and driving schools.
Rikhotso said their investigations followed various reports about driving school owners allegedly colluding with examiners at testing stations to issue learners and driver’s licences to underserving applicants in exchange for a bribe.
“The syndicate modus operandi in some instances allegedly issued licences to applicants without subjecting them to the mandatory test in exchange for a bribe varying from R5 000 to R10 000,” said Rikhotso.
The provincial Head of the Hawks, Major General Linda Mbana, congratulated the investigating team, who ensured that corrupt traffic examiners and driving school owners are brought to book.
The suspects were expected to appear before the Potchefstroom and Mogwase Magistrate’s Courts today facing charges of fraud and corruption.