Commission applauds integrity and bravery of officials at Beitbridge port

Officials from the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) at the Beitbridge port of entry have garnered praise from the Public Service Commission (PSC) for their refusal to succumb to bribery attempts.

At the Beitbridge port, individuals offered bribes of R200 000 and R50 000, respectively, to officials as a truck carrying 614 boxes of semi-manufactured tobacco valued at R6 million entered South Africa.

PSC commends officials’ integrity and bravery amid bribery attempt at Beitbridge port

In a commendation statement, the PSC lauded these upright officials for their honesty, bravery, and unwavering commitment to serving with integrity and ethical conduct.

“These upright officials demonstrated honesty and bravery as well as an important trait of serving with integrity and ethical conduct, something that must be applauded.

“Their ethical conduct also augurs well towards the professionalisation of the public service and should serve as a lesson to all public servants to give their selfless service to the people of this country,” said the commission in a statement.

Recent developments in the Musina Regional Court saw Nthapeleng Adler Munyai, a former Pamdozi Cargo International CC clearing agent, and Tsumbedzo Priscilla Nemangani Mashito, a former SARS customs external verification officer, sentenced to an effective 15-year direct imprisonment term on charges of fraud, forgery, and corruption.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Munyai and Mashito, both 47 years old, facilitated the entry of an interlink truck loaded with semi-manufactured tobacco from Zimbabwe into South Africa in 2016. Utilising forged and fraudulent consignment clearance documents, they bypassed the customary customs clearance procedures at the Beitbridge border control’s customs control area.

RTMC officer foils malpractice

However, an alert RTMC officer at the weighbridge thwarted their malpractice when he noticed discrepancies between the truck’s registration plates and licence discs. Upon realising irregularities, the officer promptly escalated the matter to a senior official, even though the latter was off-duty. Subsequently, police and traffic officials escorted the truck back to the Beitbridge border control’s customs ramp for a thorough inspection.

The customs official stood firm in upholding ethical standards and rejected the illicit proposition despite facing significant inducements, including a bribe offer of R200 000, which later increased from an initial R50 000.

The PSC underscored the officials’ demonstration of a high standard of professional ethics at the Beitbridge border, urging all public servants nationwide to uphold constitutional values and principles, emphasising the paramount importance of professional ethics and accountability in the execution of their duties.