Fraud and corruption cost Mpumalanga licensing department R28m

In just four days in October, the Mpumalanga department of community safety, security and liaison lost R28m due to fraud and corruption in the licensing department.

MEC Vusi Shongwe says between October 6 and 9, the department was defrauded of R28m where it is suspected that employees colluded with individuals and trucking companies to log into the department’s systems to renew licences and some to cancel traffic fines issued against them remotely.

“This they allegedly do by fraudulently obtaining credentials and logging in details of officials at the licensing department to access the entire system from outside the centres where these officials are based.

“Once these disks are renewed, they then print the disks at centres where they were not renewed. In many cases, these disks are registered outside the province. These syndicates also set aside due penalties and fines that vehicle owners are required to pay before the renewals of their vehicle licences,” said Shongwe.

“We have lost R28m that was supposed to go to the provincial treasury to deliver services and make people’s lives better. This is pure crime which will not go unpunished.

“We are working with law enforcement agencies to arrest these people. We condemn fraud and corruption and we shall make sure that these officials are flushed out of the department’s system. They are actually sellouts and greedy people who collude to steal from the public.”

Shongwe said the renewals that were done fraudulently were going to be set aside and arrests would be made.

“The department is warning motorists and vehicle owners that once they are found with fraudulently obtained licence disks, such disks will be discontinued, and they will have to pay again to have their vehicles back on the road.

“They also face possible arrests and will still need to pay penalties that were fraudulently set aside by the unscrupulous syndicates,” said Shongwe.

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