KwaZulu-Natal truck drivers and transport operators are being urged to ensure all driver documentation is legitimate after authorities uncovered medical fitness certificates suspected of being fraudulent during a late-night law enforcement operation.
The warning follows the questioning of a truck driver transporting manganese from the Free State to Durban after Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) officials allegedly found fraudulent medical fitness certificates in his possession during the provincial Transport and Human Settlements Department’s #NenzaniLaEzweni operation.
The intelligence-driven operation, which ran from 9pm on Thursday until 5am on Friday, targeted suspected cross-border crime involving heavy-duty vehicles travelling through KwaZulu-Natal.
According to KwaZulu-Natal Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Simphiwe Mhlongo, Hawks members were deployed to assist RTI officials during the operation. He confirmed that feedback from investigators is still being awaited.
Medical certificates under scrutiny
Medical fitness certificates are a critical requirement for many truck drivers working in the mining sector, as they are used to confirm that drivers are medically fit to operate heavy vehicles and access mining sites safely.
KwaZulu-Natal Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma said the truck driver allegedly used fraudulent medical fitness certificates to gain access to mines in the Free State and other provinces before transporting manganese to Durban.
The driver has not been charged at this stage, and investigations into the authenticity of the documents are continuing.
Authorities intensify crackdown
Duma said the latest discovery comes after authorities intercepted and impounded 18 trucks during intelligence-led operations over the past four days.
“With KwaZulu-Natal strategically located around two major ports, syndicates are operating at night in an attempt to evade detection,” he said.
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He added that law enforcement agencies continue to receive numerous tip-offs regarding trucks allegedly transporting undeclared and illicit goods, including expired and counterfeit products, while some operators are suspected of using fraudulent permits and other forged documentation.
Authorities say they remain committed to tackling organised crime operating on the province’s more than 34,000km road network.
Another truck found without required permits
During the same operation, RTI officers also discovered a broken-down abnormal-load truck on the R56 near Umbumbulu transporting oversized construction equipment.
Officials found that the vehicle was travelling on a route for which it did not have the required abnormal-load permit. Provincial Inspector Nozipho Langa said the truck should also have been accompanied by both police and escort vehicles.
What this means for truck drivers
The latest operation serves as a reminder for truck drivers and fleet operators to ensure that all documentation, including medical fitness certificates, permits and licences, is valid and obtained through authorised channels.
Authorities have indicated that document verification now forms part of roadside inspections, and drivers found with fraudulent documentation could face criminal investigation, possible prosecution and the loss of access to mining sites or employment.
The investigation into the alleged fraudulent medical certificates remains ongoing.
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