By Thapelo Molefe
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) says it has recovered and returned R14.7 million to six provincial transport departments after uncovering fraud schemes, systemic weaknesses and manipulated licensing processes in the national transport system.
Announcing the recovery on Wednesday, the SIU said the money had been irregularly diverted from the Nationwide Rolling Stock Fleet (NRSF) project.
“The SIU has successfully recovered and returned R14.7 million to six Provincial Departments of Transport in its efforts to restore accountability and protect public resources,” the unit said.
The restitution follows the identification of “irregular expenditures totalling R16.7 million” during investigations conducted under Proclamation R37 of 2017, which authorises the SIU to probe serious maladministration in vehicle registration, driver licensing and the eNaTIS system.
The recovered funds were transferred back to Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State and Limpopo. Of the R9.5 million recovered for Mpumalanga, “R6.9 million came from Optimum Coal Mine for outstanding motor licensing fees and penalties” between 2018 and 2022.
In its findings, the SIU said it uncovered widespread fraud within Driving Licence Testing Centres (DLTCs) and weaknesses in eNaTIS.
“Critical systemic vulnerabilities included the conversion of foreign licenses using unverified documents,” the unit noted, adding that the lack of integration between eNaTIS and the Department of Home Affairs had enabled this.
The investigation also exposed a scheme in which officials manipulated the eNaTIS system to divert outstanding fees and penalties.
According to the SIU, officials “unjustly transferred outstanding fees and penalties to deceased individuals or unsuspecting citizens,” allowing some vehicle owners, particularly heavy-vehicle operators, to evade state debts.
The SIU further pointed to poor cash-handling practices, saying it found “absent daily reconciliations, misreported cash records, and unverified revenue statements,” culminating in significant financial losses. It also highlighted the role of corrupt intermediaries.
“Runners and agents took advantage of delays in processing to facilitate fraudulent activities for a fee.”
To enforce accountability, the SIU said it had already cancelled 190 503 licenses linked to deceased individuals within the eNaTIS system, submitted “73 disciplinary referrals… for action against implicated officials,” and made 78 criminal referrals to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for prosecution.
The SIU reiterated its recommendations for systemic reform. These include linking eNaTIS directly to Home Affairs and the Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office for real-time verification, as well as amendments to the National Road Traffic Act to strengthen accountability for company proxies and representatives.
The unit said the outcome forms part of a broader effort “to restore integrity and accountability within the system,” using an approach that includes investigation, civil litigation, disciplinary and criminal referrals, systemic recommendations and asset recovery.
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