KwaZulu-Natal’s transport department says 11 people have been identified as having fraudulently obtained driver’s licences, as the province deepens a probe into alleged corruption at testing centres. MEC for Transport and Human Settlements Siboniso Duma said the latest findings form part of a broader campaign against licence fraud, which authorities link to road safety risks.

The latest development adds to a widening crackdown that has already produced arrests in Pietermaritzburg and follows earlier fraud cases in Melmoth. According to the department and recent media reports, investigators are now targeting not only applicants, but also examiners, instructors, driving schools and any assets allegedly tied to bribery and fraud.

KZN fake driver’s licences probe widens

Duma said investigators had found evidence that 11 individuals obtained licences fraudulently. He said one departmental examiner had already pleaded guilty, while other implicated people were facing action alongside the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, known as the Hawks.

The MEC said the revived Transport and Traffic Inspection Unit had helped expose alleged corruption at more than 30 Driver’s Licensing and Testing Centres. He added that enforcement teams were moving to deregister and blacklist private driving schools, instructors and examiners linked to the scheme.

Duma also said the crackdown would go beyond arrests. “We aim to seize bank accounts, houses, cars and all other assets owned by those involved,” he said, according to the supplied source.

Earlier arrests put testing centres under pressure

The latest findings come days after The Witness and other outlets reported arrests linked to alleged bribery at the Mkondeni Drivers Licence Testing Centre in Pietermaritzburg. Those reports said the province was considering stronger whistleblower mechanisms and tougher legal action as investigations spread.

The current campaign also builds on earlier cases. In September 2024, the KwaZulu-Natal transport department announced arrests in Melmoth tied to licence fraud, while East Coast Radio later reported that 30 people had been arrested in the matter.

The provincial department had already signalled in an official 9 January 2026 statement that it would intensify efforts to eliminate bribery, fraud and corruption at driver’s licence and motor licensing offices.

Responses and next steps

According to the supplied source, the province is now working with the Road Traffic Management Corporation’s anti-corruption unit, the Special Investigating Unit and the Asset Forfeiture Unit. Duma also said digital surveillance technology had been deployed to detect manipulation of tests and results in real time.

The department argues that poor and vulnerable communities are among those most affected, with some pensioners allegedly pressured to pay bribes so relatives could get licences. No response from any accused officials or private operators was included in the supplied source.