The Gauteng government has concluded a wide-ranging investigation into financial irregularities at 34 provincial licensing centres‚ indentifying a syndicate that could involve hundreds of officials who have been accepting bribes in exchange for clearing unpaid fines.

A TimesLIVE report quoting Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Ismail Vadi, says 19 officials at licensing and testing centres across the province are expected to be suspended‚ and criminal charges could be instituted against the private individuals and businesses that participated in the scam.

‘The investigation shows a clear trend of syndicated crime that probably involves a further 394 officials from (the centres) in Tshwane‚ Ekurhuleni‚ Sedibeng and West Rand‚ who could possibly be charged for 2 791 fraudulent transactions. The total financial loss to the government is estimated to be R42m‚’ Vadi said.

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Gauteng plans to reinstate the fines and licence fees against the thousands of motorists who bribed officials to clear them, notes a Business Day report. The investigation has revealed that officials were bribed to shift traffic fines to other road users – in most cases these were found to be deceased – to allow motorists to renew their vehicle licences. Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba said that the city – whose crackdown has so far resulted in 15 officials being arrested and 72 others being suspended – was pursuing another 100 staff who were suspected of corruption.

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