Traffic official caught on camera allegedly receiving bribes
Limpopo
The Limpopo DA has reiterated a call for an offender register to be kept at the Limpopo Department of Transport to expose corrupt officials.
The party said it would write to the MEC for transport, Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya, to implement an offender’s register for traffic officials in the Limpopo department.
This call is the result of a video currently doing the rounds on social media, of a traffic official brazenly accepting what appears to be bribes from two men on the roadside next to a Limpopo traffic vehicle.
Over the past number of years, Limpopo has been plagued by allegations of corrupt transport department officials, testing station officials and traffic officers.
In 2019, an SIU report identified 43 Limpopo traffic officials involved in serious crimes like fraud and corruption.
“An offender register would instil confidence in the department and its ability to be transparent and hold officials accountable for their conduct. It would also assist in monitoring whether officials that are found guilty have been dismissed, subjected to consequence management and in cases of dismissal, also ensure they are never rehired elsewhere within the department’s institutions,” said Katlego Phala, DA’s provincial spokesperson for transport.
Although the DA welcomes the investigation of the incident by the Road Traffic Management Corporation, the party said it was troubled that the department remained mum on the incident.
“The traffic official’s identity would not be hard to determine and from the video the two men who allegedly paid the bribes are clearly visible. The DA calls upon MEC Ramakhanya to ensure that the incident is investigated, and if the evidence correlates with those seen on the video, that the matter be handed over to SAPS for criminal investigations.”
Phala said her party would monitor this case closely to ensure that consequence management was implemented.
“Corruption has brought our country to its knees, deepening inequality and exacerbating poverty. The DA will fight corruption at all levels to ensure that the taxpayers’ money benefit the citizens and not corrupt officials.”
