LIMPOPO – According to Spokesperson for the Hawks, Capt Matimba Maluleke the operation is a sequel to the Major Investigation Project between the Hawks Serious Corruption Team, Road Traffic Management Cooperation, Special Investigative Unit and Johannesburg Metro Police Department. The aim of the project is to address alleged corrupt activities by the traffic police on our roads.

The operations resulted in the arrests of four officials from the Dzanani Provincial Traffic Police and three from the Makhado Municipal Traffic Police at Dzanani Traffic Station on Tuesday morning. The accused are alleged to have trapped vehicles that were exceeding the speed limit and instead of issuing citations for offences committed, the officials solicited bribes, says Maluleke.

The accused appeared in the Dzanani Magistrate’s Court today (Wednesday, 27 November) on charges related to corruption and were released on bail of R10 000 each. The will appear again on 22 January.

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Maluleke adds that the first operations were conducted between December 2017 and January 2018 in various parts of the province including Tzaneen, Modjadjiskloof, Polokwane and Mokopane. More than 40 traffic officials were arrested for alleged corruption during this period and some of the accused have since been convicted and sentenced. Operation Siyabangena continues.