Abuse in traffic register number system is alarming, says SIU head

The head of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), advocate Andy Mothibi, said on Tuesday that an SIU investigation showed that about 2.6-million traffic registration numbers had been issued irregularly.

“You can imagine how these irregular numbers are being used across the country in various sectors,” he said.

The SIU’s efforts are focused on exposing and addressing the fraudulent issuance of documents, but they are also working towards preventing such activities in the future.

This announcement came at the launch of the Border Management and Immigration Anti-Corruption Forum in Pretoria, signalling the start of an intensive probe into corruption and maladministration within SA’s department of home affairs.

During the address, Mothibi said that those traffic registration numbers, which allowed individuals to transact with banks and legally drive in the country, had been linked to a large amount of fraudulent activity.

“The department of transport issues what is called a traffic registration number, and a lot of work has been done by the department to counter corruption,” Mothibi said.

“The amount of abuse we’ve found in this traffic register number system is alarming. These numbers are used across various sectors, and we’ve found that the system is rife with fraud and corruption,” he said. 

Mothibi stated that the ultimate goal of the investigation was to take action when irregularities are found, either through the revocation or cancellation of fraudulently issued documents, including traffic registration numbers.

The SIU’s investigation, conducted under Proclamation 154 of 2024, will focus on several key areas, including the issuance of various permits and visas, and the installation of T200 firewalls, with the primary goal of uncovering corruption within the department of home affairs.

Mothibi said, “We have referred about 110 cases for study visas to be revoked. These visas were issued based on fraudulent documents. We have to follow the legal process to ultimately have those visas revoked, but this really shows the importance of deep investigations into areas beset by fraud and corruption.”

He also highlighted that the investigation would cover various permits and visas, including permanent residence permits, corporate visas, business visas, critical and exceptional skills work visas, retired people’s visas, and citizenship by naturalisation.

Allegations of corruption and maladministration have emerged in these areas, prompting the SIU to scrutinise the process more closely.

“The proclamation focuses on the issuance of these visas and permits, as well as other documents, because of the corruption and malpractice that we’ve received allegations about. We will be looking into sectors across practitioners, whether lawyers, accountants, pastors, or others involved in these irregularities,” said Mothibi.

The investigation has already led to several referrals for disciplinary hearings or actions, with Mothibi expressing optimism about the department of home affairs’ willingness to address the situation. “We are really glad that the department, led by the DG, has indicated that progress will be made,” he said.

“We are driving towards the implementation of prevention measures. Part of that framework includes the use of data analytics to determine areas of exposure, so that government and all other sectors can develop prevention measures to reduce the risks of future fraud,” Mothibi said.

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