Cape Town – Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Mondli Gungubele said the SA Post Office (Sapo) was taking action against 84 employees implicated in issuing fraudulent vehicle licences.
Responding to parliamentary questions from DA MP Tsholofelo Bodlani, Gungubele said 24 criminal cases had been registered with police for fraud and contravention of the Cybercrimes Act, relating to unlawful acquisition, possession, provision, receipt or use of a password, access code or similar data or device.
“Internal disciplinary proceedings have also been instituted for contravention of the Cybercrimes Act and not protecting usernames and passwords as well as not following policies as required by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC),” Gungubele said.
He said 87 employees were identified for contravening the Cybercrimes Act and policy, with at least three resigning prior to their suspension.
Gungubele also said 84 employees in total had been suspended.
“Fifteen disciplinary hearings have been concluded and, following a guilty conviction, these employees were dismissed.”
He said 69 employees were currently on suspension awaiting the conclusion of disciplinary processes.
Last December, former Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni was asked whether she was informed that equipment from Sapo was being used by criminals to issue fraudulent vehicle licences.
Ntshavheni said in her response that motor vehicle licence renewal equipment stolen during burglaries or robberies at post offices belonged to the RTMC.
“When such machines are stolen, these incidents are immediately reported to the RTMC which is able to then ‘block’ the equipment from further use,” she said.
Ntshavheni had also said Sapo had conducted its own internal investigations, when it was established that there was indeed some criminal activities linked to the RTMC system.
“The SA Post Office has passed its outcome of internal investigations and all evidence to the RTMC officials and these have also been shared with the Insurance Intelligence Bureau, which conducts investigations on behalf of RTMC.
“These cases are also registered with the Hawks Anti-Corruption Unit based at the Special Investigating Unit offices in Pretoria,” she said at the time.
Ntshavheni said a criminal case consolidating relevant information had been lodged and was under investigation by the Gauteng provincial commercial crimes offices.
“When SA Post Office employees have been identified as having committed fraud or to have colluded with syndicates, criminal charges are laid against them as per the SA Post Office disciplinary code.
“When there is evidence that alleged fraud was committed by current and former RTMC employees, the information is handed over to the RTMC to deal with,” she said.
Cape Times