Fourteen people are expected to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court today on charges of corruptions, fraud and money laundering in connection with the unlawful issuing of learner’s and driver’s licences.
They were arrested as part of Operation Catfish in Gauteng, Mpumalanga and the Free State.
Lt Col Zweli Mohobeleli from the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (Hawks), said four people were arrested in Bloemfontein and two in Bothchabelo. The rest were arrested in Pretoria, Phalaborwa and Mbombela (Nelspruit).
Members of the Hawks arrested three of the suspects (two males and a female) at the Lengau Testing Center on Monday.
Intelligence information about unlawfull activities taking place at Traffic Departments in Bloemfontein, Minnie Mandela Town (Brandfort), Botshabelo, Ladybrand, Phalaborwa and Mbombela was discovered. This included several staff members of the Traffic Department and members of the public issuing learner’s and driver’s licences without the proper procedures. The officials included traffic officers, as well as driving school instructors and runners who were involved in the issuing of licences in 2022. A member of the public that bought a licence, was also arrested.
Several transactions were concluded over a period and evidence thereof presented before court.
On Friday, 26 January the Director of Public Prosecutions authorised warrants of arrests for 20 individuals.
Early on Monday the members of the Hawks, Tactical Response Team (TRT), and Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) arrested nine males and five females aged between 30 and 57 at different locations.
The Free State Head of the Hawks, Major General Mokgadi Bokaba has vowed that more people will be arrested.
“Members of the public who obtain licences through corrupt means are a danger to society. They shall be arrested,” she said.
Mohobeleli says Members of the Hawks are hard at work looking for more suspects. “More arrests are imminent.”
