The public in Tshwane have been warned not to fall prey to fraud and corruption by scammers at municipal driving licence testing centres.
MMC for Roads and Transport Katlego Mathebe sounded alarm about people masquerading as municipal officials luring unsuspecting clients and demanding cash from them for services at the licensing centres.
She cautioned motorists against participating in fraud and corruption at licensing centres after several cases have been brought to the City’s attention by the public members.
Mathebe said the City has followed through on reported cases and “felt it necessary to caution residents to take measures to stand against fraud and corruption”.
She said no cash payments should be made to anyone because all City of Tshwane licensing centres are cashless.
Customers, she said, must ensure that they keep the proof of payment made at all times.
“Avoid conducting any consultations outside the designated licensing office. Ensure that you are being assisted by an official and insist on obtaining the name of the official that you are dealing with,” she said.
The warning was against the backdrop that there appeared to be scammers posing as City employees or purporting to have contacts at the licensing centres.
Mathebe said customers must ensure that they obtain an official receipt or evidence of payment for all transactions made at the municipal licensing centres.
“The City does not issue learner’s or driving licences without the requisite testing process having been successfully completed. The City has various platforms in place for you to execute your transactions in a manner that does not expose you to scammers, such as the online booking facility,” she said.
Most importantly, she said, learner’s and driving licence applications were done within set parameters and there were no allowances for deviating from the process.
“If you receive information to the contrary, know immediately that it is a scam,”she warned.
She stressed that it was the responsibility of every licensing service centre client to confirm that the person assisting them was in fact a City employee.
“Any offer to bypass the system amounts to bribery and corruption, and you will become an accessory to the crime. Moreover, residents are urged to ensure that road traffic fines, licensing renewals and registrations are done on time and at designated counters,” Mathebe said.
Pretoria News