MBOMBELA – Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Vusi Shongwe has welcomed the arrest of eleven traffic officers by the Hawks on allegations of corruption over the weekend.

It is believed that the officers may have allegedly taking bribes from motorists in various operations that took place across the province.

The Hawks managed to secure warrants of arrests for the implicated officers and staged a sting operation over the weekend.

“We cannot allow some corrupt elements to reverse the gains we have made so far in reducing road crashes and making our roads safer. We should all work together to expose the few corrupt law enforcers.” Shongwe said.

Also read: Eleven traffic officers arrested for corruption

The MEC further said that those who are found to be on the wrong side of the law would be harshly dealt with irrespective of their positions. He also said that those who take bribes are committing crime and they should be treated as criminals.

He went on to say: “they are indirectly contributing to bad driver behaviour by motorists that they are taking bribes from.”

He has further called on the members of the public to expose corruption within the law enforcement fraternity particularly traffic officers because government cannot be on every corner.

MEC Shongwe has also called on Criminal Justice System to harshly punish those who are found guilty of any wrong doing.

The arrests came few days before Shongwe’s meeting with all departmental traffic officers in the province. Among others, Shongwe would talk about the working conditions of officers, 24 hour presence on the road and allegations of bribery.