Residents must please report licensing centre officials asking for bribes, the Tshwane metro says.
This after a local Laudium resident and his wife were asked a “fee” to speed up the renewal of a driver’s license.
“The new online system is fantastic because you can pick a date and time convenient for you before visiting the centre,” said metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo.
“You do not need a middle man or to pay someone a bribe to be helped. You certainly do not need to pay more than the prescribed renewal fee designated at the service point.”
He said new appointments were loaded every Monday morning at 08:00.
Last week Laudium resident Pravin Gareeb and his wife visited the licence testing station in Waltloo.
“We had tried to use the online booking system to make an appointment to renew my wife’s licence, but it didn’t work,” said Gareeb.
Out of frustration, the Gareebs visited the Waltloo station hoping they might be helped as walk-in customers.
“At the door we were welcomed by a well-dressed gentleman by the name of ‘Charles’,” said Gareeb.
“He seemed to be an official. When my wife told him she wanted to renew our licences, he said the ‘fee’ would be R650. He promised to help her even though she didn’t have an appointment.”
A similar incident occurred when the Gareebs visited the Akasia centre.
However, Mashigo said no reports of bribery at the centres had reached the metro.
He advised anyone encountering a request for a bribe to report it.
“Members of the public must report such incidents to the authorities for investigation. Road Traffic Management Corporation can be contacted at 0861 400 800,” he said.
ALSO READ: UPDATE: Online licence system’s ‘failure’ leading to bribes – Pta resident
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