Provincial Commissioner of police in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma has issued a strong warning after the involvement of a Traffic Official in fraud. The unwavering words of the General comes after a Court appearance of 22-year-old Siphosethu Mnisi who appeared in the Belfast Magistrate’s Court on Thursday 06 February 2020, for fraud where a state fuel card was allegedly used to pour fuel in to a privately owned vehicle.
“All Law Enforcement Agencies are expected to uphold the law and conduct themselves in a manner that is befitting to the job they have been called to do on behalf of the nation. We cannot allow a situation where rotten elements continue to tarnish our image by tangling themselves in criminal acts whereas they still wear our uniform. If any Law Enforcement Agent is found to have committed crime, then they will face the full might of the law just like anyone that decides to break the law, they will be dealt with, without any fear or favour, said General Zuma.
According to the information on the fraud case, Siphosethu Mnisi, a Provincial Traffic Official was arrested by police at Machadodorp on 05 February 2020, after it came to the attention of police that Mnisi was allegedly involved in criminality whereby he fraudulently used state resources for personal gains in anyway known to him.
Reports reveal that on Monday 03 February 2020, Mnisi’s female friend or family arrived at a Fuel Station at Machadasdorp in a SUV where she requested one of the petrol attendant to fill her car’s fuel tank. As expected that one should make payment after a purchase, the petrol attendant requested the lady to pay, but unfortunately the lady explained that someone will make payment on her behalf. All of a sudden, a Provincial Traffic vehicle arrived with Mnisi, who allegedly produced government’s petrol card and made payment despite the petrol attendant’s concern that this was not a normal practice. Mnisi insisted and even assured the petrol attendant that he should not worry as his (Mnisi’s) Superiors are very much aware of what his was doing and he is allowed to carry out such transaction. A transaction of about R800 was then made as a result. The managers later notified police about the incident whereby a case of fraud was opened and hence Mnisi’s arrest on Wednesday 05 February 2020 and his court appearance on 07 February 2020. He was released on R500, 00 bail and expected to appear again in the very same court on Wednesday 12 February 2020.
Source: South African Police Service