A case of corruption against a Cape Town traffic official has been postponed to April 5, 2024 for further investigation.
The traffic officer had briefly appeared before the Cape Town magistrate’s court on Thursday following her arrest on Wednesday.
R15k bribe to help with drunk driving case
Renay Claudine Ruiters was arrested by the Hawks, the Bellville-based serious corruption investigation. This after she allegedly demanded a R15,000 bribe from a person she had arrested.
According to the Hawks, the incident took place in September 2023. Ruiters demanded the money from a person she had arrested for driving under the influence of liquor.
The matter was brought to the Hawks’ attention on Wednesday and they immediately acted on it.
Ruiters, 47, has since been released on a R1,000 bail and she is expected to be back in court in April.
Released on R1,000 bail
Head of the Hawks in the Western Cape, Major General Mathipa Makgato, commended the arrest. He said law enforcement officials are mandated to uphold and enforce the law.
Makgato said this would hopefully send a strong message to other law breakers.
A similar case occurred in October 2023 where three female traffic officers were released on R1,000 bail each after the Serious Corruption Investigation team arrested them on an allegation of demanding a bribe from a truck driver.
Kroonstad traffic officers face corruption charges
Mamodiehi Pakiso Nkwinika (43), Mohapa Maggie Motaung (44), and Ditshabako Sefudi (45) appeared in the Kroonstad magistrate’s court on charges of corruption.
The officers had discovered an apparent Road Traffic Act transgression. However, the trio allegedly demanded a R2,000 bribe instead of issuing a fine. The driver informed his employer about this ordeal and the employer immediately alerted the police. An entrapment operation was conducted, which led to the arrest of the three officers.
Free State head of the Hawks, Maj-Gen Mokgadi Bokaba, commended the truck owner for reporting the crime.
“Law enforcement officers must know that the Hawks have a bird’s [eye] view of their actions. Anytime they accept a bribe, they could be walking into a trap,” said Bokaba.
