The rot runs deep. That’s the grim picture painted by OUTA’s latest exposé into vehicle testing stations (VTSs) across South Africa, a scandal so serious that it’s now under the microscope of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), following a request by Transport Minister Barbara Creecy.
While OUTA had already warned about corruption in VTSs, the newly released full report shows it’s more than just isolated bribes – it’s an organised network of rogue examiners, VTS owners (some with ties to government), and transport operators gaming the system for profit.
“The corruption cannot be allowed to continue, since it’s endangering the lives of millions of South African road users at risk daily,” said Rudie Heyneke, Senior Project Manager at OUTA. “This is something our country can ill afford.”
According to OUTA’s report, vehicles that fail roadworthy inspections in Gauteng often resurface as roadworthy just hours later – sometimes within the same day – at VTSs in faraway provinces like Limpopo and North West.
In one case, a Chevrolet Spark failed a roadworthy inspection in Gauteng at 12:58pm, only to receive a roadworthy certificate from a station in Tzaneen, 440km away, less than an hour later.
OUTA’s investigators concluded that it was physically impossible for the vehicle to have been repaired and tested within that timeframe, strongly suggesting the certificate was issued without the car ever being present.
The OUTA investigation goes even deeper, revealing that some vehicle test stations are owned by individuals with direct interests in passenger transport services – introducing the potential for mass self – certification of unroadworthy taxis and buses.
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The report names several directors of VTSs who are also linked to transport companies with fleets that require regular certification.
This raises serious questions about whether operators are inspecting their own vehicles and bypassing safety regulations altogether.
More troubling is OUTA’s finding that public officials are among those implicated.
One director of a VTS is a member of the Limpopo Provincial Legislature, while another is an active SAPS sergeant.
Despite long-standing regulations around conflict of interest, OUTA found no evidence that these roles were disclosed or scrutinised by the relevant oversight bodies.
Heyneke didn’t hold back in his criticism, stating that while the Department of Transport preaches road safety to the public, it continues to ignore corruption within its own ecosystem.
“We cannot improve road safety while corruption at testing stations goes unchecked,” he said. “Issuing and accepting fraudulent roadworthy certificates is a criminal offence that has a direct impact on road deaths.”
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The issue isn’t just administrative. The stakes are high. According to Creecy’s own festive season report, over 1,500 people died in road crashes during the 2024/25 holiday period – a 5.3% increase from the previous year.
More than 16,000 vehicles were found to be unroadworthy during that period, with nearly 9,000 of them impounded.
OUTA argues that these numbers only scratch the surface, especially given the limitations of roadside inspections, which often fail to catch mechanical faults hidden beneath the surface.
The report doesn’t stop at blame. It offers concrete proposals: enforcing the National Minimum Test Time (currently only observed in Gauteng), banning cross-provincial testing unless justified, and developing an online, live-monitored system for inspections.
It also proposes an innovative idea – having unroadworthy vehicles repaired by students at TVET colleges under supervision. This, OUTA argues, would address several issues at once: the backlog of unroadworthy vehicles, practical training for students, and support for the local economy.
“While we appreciate the Minister’s decision to hand over [the report] to the Special Investigating Unit, OUTA decided that it is in the public interest to share our findings,” Heyneke said.
“OUTA remains committed to working with civil society to push for urgent reforms in vehicle testing and road safety enforcement.”
With the SIU now involved and public pressure mounting, the Department of Transport may be forced to act.
Whether this finally leads to a safer, more accountable road safety regime – or becomes yet another shelved scandal – remains to be seen. You can read the full Outa report can be found here.
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