• The Road Traffic Management Corporation received a tip-off regarding fraud at a licence centre in Tshwane.
• Four suspects were arrested this week and eye test certificates as well as other fraudulent documents were seized.
• The suspects will appear in court soon.

Getting your learner licence is not only a sign that you are entering your adult years, it also forms the foundation of learning to drive a motor vehicle on public roads. Unfortunately, this process is often marred by corruption.

This week, the fight against corruption within South Africa’s licencing centres took an interesting turn with four individuals being arrested in Tshwane, Gauteng on allegations of fraud.

One of the individuals is accused of selling fake eye tests outside of the licencing centre while two more are accused of writing the test on behalf of others. A fourth individual was arrested on allegations of arranging test appointments for the aforementioned test takes.

These arrests came as a result of a tip-off received by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) on Monday.

“The members seized 11 eye test certificates, an optometrist’s stamp, eye test chart and traffic register details belonging to foreign drivers. The suspects have been detained at Temba police station and will appear in court soon,” the RTMC said in a statement.

In other driver licence-related news, just last week the Department of Transport announced that its printing machine was in working order once more. The department is currently sorting through a backlog that has amassed as a result of the machine being out of service and intends to announce updated driver’s licence cards – printed by new machines – soon.

RTMC has called on South Africans to report suspected acts of fraud, corruption and malfeasance via email on ntacu[at]rtmc[dot]co[dot]za or on WhatsApp by adding 083 293 7989 as a contact.