A Durban woman employed by the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Transport Department was recently arrested for allegedly running a licence fee scam that cost the department R1.4 million.
How a Durban woman was arrested for sophisticated licence fee scam
On Saturday, 21 October 2023, a team of Hawks members from the Durban Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit apprehended a 46-year-old suspect on charges of fraud and corruption.
The Modus Operandi
The suspect was employed in the Melmoth office and according to investigations, between the years 2016 and 2020, the suspect is alleged to have manipulated the department’s Enatis system.
In a statement, police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Simphiwe Mhlongo revealed that the woman, whose identity has yet to be unveiled, reportedly transferred outstanding license fees to names or entities that did not exist.
In doing so, she allegedly received gratification from members of the public. This manipulation resulted in a financial loss of R1,470,157.61 to the department.
Durban woman’s identity to be unveiled in court
After a case of fraud and corruption was reported at the Melmoth police station, the Hawks took over the investigation to handle the intricate process of following the papertrail to determine the exact amount the woman received from the scam.
Also, and perhaps most importantly, Hawks will seek to determine if there were any other active roleplayers in the sophisticated operation.
The suspect was due to appear at the Durban Specialised Commercial Crime Court on Monday.
