Joburg traffic police officer received R1.5 million in cash bribes

An officer in the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) has been accused of taking R1.5 million in cash bribes in a single day.

This is according to Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, who recently spoke about corruption within the province’s traffic police during a parliamentary Q&A.

A total of 456 cases of corruption, theft, fraud, and extortion were recorded in Gauteng between 2022 and 2026, equating to roughly 114 per year.

Approximately 40% of these incidents (185 cases) were recorded at the JMPD. Of this total, 47 officers were suspended or reassigned, and 16 were dismissed. However, it is not known how many have been criminally prosecuted, reported Newsday.

Elmarie de Beer, who works for Internal Affairs at the JMPD, said they did not know how much money was involved in corruption and extortion cases involving their officers.

That being said, she revealed that the single largest amount taken by a JMPD official in a single day was R1.5 million in cash.

Michael Sun, a member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, said this incident highlighted the deep-seated corruption within the Gauteng police services, which was eroding public trust in these entities.

While nearly half of the province’s bribery cases were recorded at the JMPD, the problem is just as severe in other metros.

In Pretoria, the Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) recorded 180 cases of corruption and bribery. Only 28 officers have been suspended for bribery and corruption, while 17 were dismissed.

Sun said that the issue was likely much greater than this, as these figures only include the cases that were formally reported.

At the provincial level, only 175 of the 456 officers implicated in bribery scandals have been criminally charged.

He added that the size of the funds involved indicated that this was not petty corruption but organised extortion.

Reporting corruption within Gauteng’s traffic police

According to the JMPD, “corruption” includes any person who directly and indirectly accepts, agrees, or offers gratification for himself or another person; any illegal act or dishonesty, misuse of information and materials, and the abuse of a position of authority, breach of trust, or violation of duty.

Residents are encouraged to report corruption by capturing important details about when and where the incident occurred.

Anyone who encounters a traffic officer asking for a bribe should report the address where the incident occurred, the time, and provide a description of the officers involved, including:

• Name tags
• Physical appearance
• Vehicle registration
• Photos or videos (if possible)

Complaints must be directed to the JMPD’s internal affairs directorate, who will provide a case number and assign an investigating officer.

Depending on the severity of the matter, a separate criminal case may be opened with the South African Police Service.