More Mpumalanga Officials Arrested for R60 Million Vehicle Licence Fee-Dumping Corruption Case

• Five more Mpumalanga licencing officials were arrested for allegedly being part of the fee dumping saga
• The suspects allegedly worked with corrupt administrators and cost the state R60 million in unpaid licence fees and penalties
• The five suspects are expected to appear in the Mbombela Magistrate’s Court on 603 charges, including fraud

MPUMALANGA - Police have arrested five more Mpumalanga licencing officials for their alleged involvement in the R60 million motor vehicle licence fee dumping corruption case.

It is believed that the official conspired with employees from the Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security, and Liaison’s National Traffic Information System (eNatis) helpdesk to issue vehicle licence discs fraudulently.

A total of 15 people have been arrested for the matter. Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) spokesperson Simon Zwane said some of those arrested were clerks at registering authorities in Mpumalanga.

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The suspects allegedly worked with corrupt administrators and cost the state R60 million in unpaid licence fees and penalties. According to News24, the arrests followed investigations by the RTMC’s National Anti-Corruption Unit, the Hawks, and the Special Investigating Unit.

Zwane said the investigations uncovered that the suspects manipulated the eNatis system to assist motor vehicle owners in avoiding payment of vehicle licence fees and penalties.

He said the modus operandi involved changing the ownership of affected motor vehicles into the name of an unsuspecting individual, a deceased person, or a dormant company.

The suspects are expected to appear in the Mbombela Magistrate’s Court on 603 corruption, fraud, and money laundering charges. According to IOL, last month, Thababang Clifford Khumalo, Nonhlanhla Precious Matsheka, and Nkosinathi Mahlalela were arrested for the alleged involvement and were released on R15 000 bail each.

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Citizens react to the arrest:

Mariette Norman said:

“Doesn’t surprise me at all. Corruption all the way.”

Peter Still commented:

“Talk about ANC running the country. It gets worse daily. Not running, but RUINING our once great country.”

Carl Kumst posted:

“And we claim that this country isn’t corrupt...what a joke. Those funds were meant to be used to uplift the community and roads etc.”

Ngelekejane Dladla wrote:

“Corruption is all over the country even under the bed from top to bottom everywhere in the country.”

Sharon Botha added:

“Good lock them up and throw the key away.”

Over 500 illegally imported vehicles to be deregistered and crushed by Road Traffic Management Corporation

In a related matter, Briefly News also reported Hundreds of illegally imported vehicles are being destroyed by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) this morning.

The 520 vehicles were imported and fraudulently registered for use in South Africa and were only supposed to pass through the county from Japan.

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SABC News reported that in 2019, 17 people were arrested after being linked to a group that illegally recorded vehicles on the National Traffic Information System (eNatis).

Source: Briefly News