Durban — The Durban Metro Police Service arrested three alleged fraudsters who were found in possession of fake municipal documents.
Metro Police spokesperson Colonel Boysie Zungu said that quick thinking by metro police resulted in the arrest of three suspects at the KwaMnyandu Mall in uMlazi, Durban South, for being in possession of fake municipal proof of address letters and other identification documents.
Zungu said the suspects were using the fraudulent documents for their illegal practices. He said that the suspects were found with the following:
- A Commissioner of Oaths stamp (councillor’s office).
- 16 identity smart cards, 13 green ID books, three driver’s licences, one passport and one bank card.
- A computer tower and monitor.
- 18 blank proof of residence documents signed by a councillor.
- One flash-drive.
- R975 in cash.
Zungu said that in the metro police’s efforts to decrease crime, they have deployed additional police resources to identified hotspots in the City, including uMlazi.
He said metro police are working with the Premier’s Office, amakhosi and various government institutions to roll out new smart policing technological advances.
“Through the Premier’s Office, the metro police has commenced work to introduce new smart policing systems to combat crime,” Zungu said.
Sister publication Isolezwe reported that the suspects were selling the letters to residents for R5 each.
Ward councillor Mduduzi Nkosi, whose name is being forged in the letters, said that after receiving information about the crime, he reported it to the police, who took action.
“The police first arrived without wearing their uniforms and pretended to be customers. That is how they were able to verify that indeed these letters were being sold,” Nkosi said.
“Their arrest made me very happy because what they were doing not only disrupted the work of councillors, it also disrupted residents who really need those letters because councillors end up being afraid of distributing these letters because of criminality.”
Nkosi said he believed this crime happens in other areas within the municipality. It is something that affects their counterparts and it is an issue they have raised in a council meeting before.
He revealed that even though some arrests have been made, he believes that there are many others who run “businesses of selling letters” that are given to community members for free. Nkosi also said that it would be nice if the police zoomed in on this matter so it can be dealt with.
Reacting to the incident, some people shared or hinted at other areas where similar crimes were being committed.
One person hinted that there might be similar activities near Isipingo police station. Another said that even in the Pinetown CBD there is a corner (next to a KFC passage) where proof of residence letters are being sold for R10 each.
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