Six officials from the Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison were arrested on Monday, for the alleged involvement in multi-million-rand vehicle licencing fraud.
The suspects who were arrested by the Hawks and Road Traffic Management Corporation’s (RTMC’s) National Traffic Anti-Corruption Unit (NTACU), made a brief appearance in the Mpumalanga Magistrate’s Court shortly after that, a statement from the RTMC said.
The six officials, Xoliswa Celia Ngcelwane (51) Allman Thabang Masuku (37), Nkhosinathi Samuel Gumede (44), Thembi Millicent Moslehi (53), Agnes Nosipho Ndinisa (42), and Nomumelelo Winnie Nxumalo (35), are alleged to have manipulated the eNaTIS system in what is known as “money dumping of fees.
It is alleged that the accused would recruit companies or individuals whose vehicles were heavily in areas in terms of their motor vehicle licensing, who faced penalties for non payments. The officials would dump those fees by changing the ownership of the affected motor vehicles to unsuspecting individuals, deceased individuals or dormant companies.
The suspects allegedly also dumped some of the fees to government vehicles by using a GG authority code, which can only be found on government vehicles. The fraudulent activities took place between 2018 and 2019.
The RTMC said that investigations indicated that the fraudulent activities cost the province close to R60 million in revenue.
The suspects were released on R15 000 bail each and are expected to reappear on court on 29 September 2022, most likely to face 603 counts of fraud, theft, and money laundering.
Source: News24, IOL, My Broadband, image from My Broadband