Seven employees at the Khayelitsha Drivers Licence Testing Centre in Cape Town were arrested on Wednesday morning for alleged fraud and corruption, the Western Cape Hawks said.

Captain Philani Nkwalase said the employees allegedly asked for bribes in exchange for learner’s and driver’s licences.

“People would go and apply there because… you would get through quite easily and end up with your card without putting any effort in, as long as you pay your way through,” he said.

The seven people – a male security guard and six female driver’s licence examiners – allegedly committed the crimes between January 2015 and October 2018.

They are expected to appear in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.

“No less than 34 suspects, including nine examiners, have so far been apprehended in the Western and Eastern Cape provinces to address the fraudulent issuing of roadworthy certificates. These arrests sparked further investigations which linked to the arrests of the seven suspects today (Wednesday),” said Nkwalase.

Cape Town safety and security mayoral committee member JP Smith thanked the Hawks for their lengthy investigation and said the City had a zero-tolerance approach to staff misconduct.

“Internal disciplinary processes will run parallel to the criminal process. The staff members will be served with pre-suspension notices once they have appeared in court,” he said.

Meanwhile, the City’s safety and security director Richard Bosman, assured Khayelitsha residents that the testing centre would not close down.

He said staff were transferred from other centres and that the Khayelitsha centre would be fully operational again from Thursday.