Three held for issuing fraudulent roadworthy certificate

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Pretoria - Three people, including a vehicle examiner, a clerk and runner, have been arrested in the North West in connection with the fraudulent issuing of a roadworthy certificate, says the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC).

“The three were arrested by members of the RTMC’s National Traffic Anti-Corruption Unit and the Hawks at the EK Private Vehicle Testing Station in Rustenburg,” the RTMC said on Tuesday.

The examiner has been identified as a man who was previously arrested on the same charge and his case is still pending in court.

“The arrest followed an undercover operation conducted by members to the National Traffic Anti-Corruption Unit within the areas of Rustenburg.

“The anti-corruption unit identified the runner, who touts business-on-business on behalf of the testing station, and entered into a transaction to have a motor vehicle roadworthy certificate issued without doing the prescribed tests,” the RTMC said.

The runner accepted a sum of R1 200 from the undercover agents to facilitate the issuing of the certificate.

The examiner is accused of fraudulently certifying a vehicle as roadworthy although the vehicle was not physically presented to him and he did not conduct the necessary tests.

The clerk is facing charges of processing and issuing a fraudulent certificate while knowing that such a vehicle was not physically presented for testing.

The will appear in the Thlabane Magistrate’s Court soon.

In a separate incident, members of the National Traffic Police arrested a driver for attempted bribery. The driver allegedly offered the officer a R100 bribe to avoid a traffic fine.

“The officers were conducting a law enforcement operation on the R55 near Centurion when they stopped the motorist for a road traffic transgression,” RTMC said.

Members of the public are encouraged to report bribery, fraud and corruption relating to road traffic matters on 0861 400 800. – SAnews.gov.za