WESTERN CAPE – Concerted efforts to eradicate corruption within civil society yielded positive results during an integrated joint take-down operation involving various departments, including SAPS specialised units such as, Crime Intelligence (Oudtshoorn and Mossel Bay), Public Order Policing (POP) Southern Cape, Garden Route District Crime Combatting Team and Provincial Commercial Crime Investigations, Department of Transport (including the office of the Registrar), Western Cape. The Take-Down Operation was conducted over two days from Monday, 21 November 2022 until late last night,  Tuesday, 22 November 2022.

Western Cape Provincial Detectives’ Commercial Crime Investigation in collaboration with Crime Intelligence and the Western Cape department of Transport as a court-driven initiative, culminated with the takedown of nine (9) suspects between the ages 30 and 57 whom had all appeared in the Mossel Bay magistrates’ court earlier today, Wednesday, 23 November 2022. These arrests includes Taxi owners and two individuals from Mossel Bay. The arrests stems from covert operations done over a period of time based on allegations that the suspects fraudulently obtained operating licences as well as roadworthy certificates from various testing stations without even physically attending a testing station, clearly a transgression of the National Land Transportation Act (NTLA).

Armed with search and seizure warrants, the integrated team pounced on the identified suspects to execute the arrests. Subsequent to the arrests they also seized six (6) minibus taxis, a Nissan 1400 bakkie as well as a Toyota Stallion bakkie, all directly linked to the illicit transactions.

The suspects appeared in the Mossel Bay Magistrates’ court earlier today, Wednesday, 23 November 2022 after being charged. The accused face seven (7) charges related to, but not limited to the Contraventions of the Road Traffic Act, Fraud, Corruption And Contravention of the National Land Transportation Act (NTLA). They were granted bail of R1 500-00 each and warned to reappear in the same court on 27 January 2023, pending further investigation.

Western Cape Provincial management has lauded all the members involved for their diligence and commitment to bring these suspects to book. Their illicit acts and greed contributes to the endangerment to all road users and pedestrians alike.

Source: South African Police Service