This type of corruption has helped wipe out over 2% of South Africa’s GDP

The Minister of Transport has asked the SIU to investigate corruption in roadworthy certificate systems at vehicle testing stations in South Africa. 

Corruption at these stations contributes to South Africa’s high road accident rate, which costs the country over 2% of its GDP.

This is the key finding of a report compiled by the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA), which has decided to go public with its investigation. 

The investigation looked into the fraudulent issuing of roadworthy certificates, which prompted Transport Minister Barbara Creecy to enlist the services of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).

The investigation fell under the scope of Proclamation 191 of 2024, which authorised the SIU to examine corruption within the national and provincial Departments of Transport and related local entities. 

However, according to OUTA, the urgency and scale of the crisis has demanded broader public attention.

“While we appreciate the Minister’s decision to hand it over to the SIU, OUTA decided that it is in the public interest to share our findings with the media, after several requests,” said Senior Project Manager at OUTA, Rudie Heyneke.

The findings are concerning. The report reveals how vehicles that failed inspection in Gauteng could obtain valid roadworthy certificates from Limpopo and North West stations.

The report noted that the South African Roadworthy Council (SARC) reported these escalating fraudulent practices as early as July 2021. 

It added that the SARC informed the Director General of the National Transport Department of the activities and warned that the situation would seriously impact road safety in the country.

“SARC uncovered inferior and sub-standard testing to no testing at all as a result of cross-provincial boundary roadworthy certifications,” the report said. 

It further explained that corrupt individuals within the testing industry text vehicle details across provincial boundaries to testing stations in another province, to obtain roadworthy certification.

This is done without seeing the vehicle, without the presence of the responsible person for the vehicle, and without testing the vehicle. 

“This points to an organised and systemic network of fraud and corruption that undermines road safety on a national scale,” said OUTA.

The full report can be accessed below.

The massive cost to South Africa

Heyneke warned that this kind of corruption directly endangers millions of lives daily. “This is something our country can ill afford,” he said.

“We cannot improve road safety while corruption at testing stations goes unchecked. Issuing and accepting fraudulent roadworthy certificates is a criminal offence that directly impacts road deaths.”

The scale of the problem is enormous. OUTA’s report shows that 1.2 million vehicles on South African roads are unroadworthy, with a further 800,000 either unregistered or similarly unfit to be driven. 

The economic consequences are severe. Road accidents cost the economy an estimated R205 billion each year, equivalent to 2.47% of South Africa’s GDP.

Despite efforts by the Department of Transport, including over 21,000 speeding fines, 3,000 drunk driving arrests, and the impounding of 12,000 illegal vehicles, OUTA said these actions don’t address the real issue. 

“The Transport Department is urging drivers to take personal responsibility for safer roads, but OUTA believes that real change must start with government accountability,” said Heyneke.

According to the newly released 2025 World’s Safest Roads report by Zutobi, South Africa remains the most dangerous country to drive in, with 24.5 road deaths per 100,000 people. 

“We should be deeply concerned,” Heyneke added. “This crisis is worsened by corruption in road safety enforcement, which allows thousands of unroadworthy vehicles to remain on the roads.”

OUTA had already shared its report with Minister Creecy and the National Traffic Anti-Corruption Unit (NTACU) in early March, urging criminal prosecution for those involved.

However, it added that the decision to publish the report was made to ensure that the issue doesn’t fade into obscurity.

“We cannot allow this report to gather dust while lives are lost,” said Heyneke. “Civil society will hold them accountable if those in charge refuse to act.”

According to OUTA, both those who issue and obtain fraudulent certificates are complicit and should face prosecution. 

The organisation’s public release of the report is meant to galvanise authorities and ordinary South Africans into demanding greater transparency and integrity in the country’s vehicle testing and road safety systems.