Four people have been arrested in Limpopo over an alleged scheme in which applicants paid cash to obtain learner’s licences without completing the required testing process.
The arrests followed a joint operation involving the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the South African Police Service (SAPS) Crime Intelligence division at the Marble Hall Driving Licence Testing Centre.
The first suspect was arrested after intelligence indicated that people from KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo were travelling to collect learner’s licences believed to have been fraudulently issued.
The SIU announced the arrest on Friday, 11 September 2026, before confirming three additional arrests later that evening.
The three additional suspects were cashiers employed at the licensing testing station. Two are 63-year-old women, while the third is 53.
According to the SIU, investigators found cash on the suspects during the operation. One allegedly concealed about R4,500 in her underwear, while another was found with R800 hidden in her clothing.
The three women face allegations including fraud, corruption and contraventions of the Cybercrimes Act relating to alleged tampering with the eNatis system.
The first suspect was also found in possession of several learner’s licences.
Applicants allegedly paid R2,000 per licence
An investigation conducted by the SIU under a Department of Transport proclamation found that a suspect from KwaZulu-Natal allegedly charged applicants R2,000 for each learner’s licence.
The suspect allegedly promised applicants that they could obtain their licences without undergoing the legally required testing process.
Investigators believe the KwaZulu-Natal suspect worked with an alleged accomplice in Limpopo. That person, in turn, allegedly coordinated with examiners at the Marble Hall testing centre to process fraudulent applications.
Information gathered during the investigation suggests that the alleged operation was capable of handling transactions involving between 20 and 30 learner’s licences at a time.
The case highlights the continuing challenge of corruption within South Africa’s driver licensing system, despite efforts to introduce more secure and technology-based testing methods.
The Department of Transport previously indicated that applicants suspected of fraudulently obtaining learner’s licences should also face criminal consequences.
The issue has become more prominent since South Africa expanded the use of its Computerised Learner Licence Testing (CLLT) system in 2025.
New computerised test exposes weaknesses in licensing system
The CLLT system was introduced to improve the quality of learner’s licence examinations and reduce opportunities for cheating and corruption.
The change has also produced a sharp decline in pass rates in some areas.
In the Western Cape, only 17% of learner’s licence applicants passed the computerised test, according to figures revealed by the Freedom Front Plus in July 2026. More than 142,100 tests had reportedly been conducted in the province since the system was introduced.
The province’s overall learner’s licence pass rate had been 63% during the 2026 financial year before the widespread adoption of the new computerised system. Once CLLT results were included, the average fell by 46 percentage points.
One reason for the lower pass rate is the structure of the new examination. Instead of relying on a relatively small set of questions that applicants could memorise, the computerised system draws multiple-choice questions from a larger randomised pool.
Candidates are therefore expected to demonstrate a broader understanding of road rules and road signs.
However, the new technology has not eliminated every opportunity for cheating. Examiners have previously been accused of using concealed laser pointers during tests to indicate correct answers to applicants.
Simon Zwane, chief communications officer at the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), previously said the allegations were being investigated and that authorities hoped to make arrests.
The latest SIU operation shows that law-enforcement agencies are continuing to target both individuals and organised networks suspected of undermining the licensing system.
The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities expected to pursue further evidence concerning the alleged syndicate and its network of applicants and officials.