A Cape Town traffic official was arrested after she allegedly extorted money from a drunk driver she arrested last year.
Renay Claudine Ruiters, 47, was arrested by members of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (known as Hawks) on Wednesday.
The spokesperson for the Hawks in the Western Cape, Lieutenant Colonel Siyabulela Vukubi said the arrest was conducted by members of the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation team based in Bellville.
Ruiters is alleged to have extorted money from a motorist she arrested in September 2023.
“Ruiters, who is a traffic official, allegedly extorted money to the amount of R15,000 from a person whom she arrested for driving under the influence of liquor during September 2023. The matter was brought to the attention of the Hawks for probing and the arrest was effected,” Vukubi said.
Ruiters appeared in court on the same day of her arrest.
She appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on charges of corruption.
After her brief appearance, Ruiters was granted R1,000 bail.
The matter has been postponed until April 5, for further investigation.
The head of the Hawks in the Western Cape, Major General Mathipa Makgato commended members for the arrest.
Makgato said law enforcement officials are mandated to uphold and enforce the law and hoped this incident would send a strong message to other lawbreakers.
In a separate incident in Mpumalanga, two traffic officials from a driving license testing centre (DLTC) were released on R15,000 bail each.
Manoko Mashaba and Clifford Ngobeni were arrested on Monday by the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation Unit during an entrapment operation.
The duo is alleged to have asked R1,000 in gratification for a pass at the learner’s license testing after an individual failed the test.
They face charges of corruption and their case was postponed to February 26 for further investigations.
IOL