City of Ekurhuleni responds after EMPD officer filmed demanding bribe from motorist

The City of Ekurhuleni has officially launched an investigation after IOL shared a video showing one of its Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) officers demanding and taking a bribe from a motorist.

Phakamile Mbengashe, spokesperson for the City of Ekurhuleni, said the city has condemned the alleged misconduct, stating that appropriate action will be taken.

"The City of Ekurhuleni has noted with concern the footage circulating online allegedly showing an EMPD officer accepting a bribe from a motorist. The city condemns any form of corruption and misconduct by its officials in the strongest terms. The matter has been referred to Internal Audit and is currently under investigation. Appropriate disciplinary and legal action will be taken pending the outcome of the investigation," said Mbengashe.

City of Ekurhuleni has committed to upholding integrity, accountability, and the highest standards of service in all its operations.

The city's stern response comes after a motorist, who spoke to IOL on condition of anonymity, detailed how he was allegedly extorted by the traffic officer. The incident occurred last week when the motorist and his wife were driving along Albertina Sisulu Road. The couple, who were on their way home after buying goods in the Johannesburg CBD, were pulled over by the officer.

According to the motorist, the officer requested his driver's licence, passport, and traffic register. After inspecting the documents, the officer instructed him to open the vehicle's bonnet. Following a brief inspection, the officer claimed the engine had oil and then demanded that the motorist "pay tax" to be allowed to leave.

The motorist alleged that the officer was withholding his documents.

"My car wasn't washed properly, that is why there was some oil on the engine. The traffic officer said I had to pay tax for him to let me go, while he was still holding my documents. I asked him what the tax was, and he said that shows we are not willing to go yet," the motorist told IOL.

After being left to wait for 15 minutes while the officer attended to other cars, the motorist and his wife decided to record the officer while handing him R50 as evidence.

Earlier this year, IOL reported that a 47-year-old former police constable, Eric Ellias Sibanyoni, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment wholly suspended for five years on condition that he is not found guilty of fraud, corruption, and theft for the duration of the sentence's suspension.

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks, stated that Sibanyoni's activities were brought to light by a tourist who was victimized in 2019. Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi, provincial Hawks spokesperson, said an operation was conducted that led to Sibanyoni's arrest four months after the complaint was registered.

"Investigation proved that Sibanyoni was responsible for intentionally benefiting from unethical behavior that is contradictory to the South African Police Service's code of conduct after receiving R100 gratification for looking the other way and not fulfilling his duty," Nkosi said.

Sibanyoni was dismissed from the SAPS after an internal departmental procedure and was sentenced at the Belfast Magistrate's Court in February.

[email protected]

IOL News  

Get your news on the go. Download the latest IOL App for Android and IOS now.