Kruger Lowveld Tourism (KLT) in association with the Hazyview Chamber of Business and Tourism (HCBT) is acting to curb corruption among traffic officers following an increase in roadside bribery and extortion.
Corrupt activity by traffic officers is widespread around Hoedspruit, Acornhoek, Bushbuckridge, Hazyview, Sabie and Graskop and particularly prevalent on the R40 between Hazyview and Hoedspruit, and to a slightly lesser extent on the R537 around Sabie, the R532 between Sabie and Graskop, the R533 between Graskop and Bushbuckridge and the R535 between Graskop and Hazyview.
HCBT has appointed the region’s first liaison officer, who has an office in the police station and is able to step in and assist tourists with any crime-related issues. “It has been a pioneering step,” says Chris Harvie of HCBT, “but one that has paid dividends for tourism in the region from day one.  Hazyview is a much better place for it.”  
Member establishments have all agreed to take the precaution of briefing all their arriving guests on the illegality of paying cash to any official. According to KLT, once this information had been broadcast more widely and tourists began to report back on their experiences, it became clear that a more concentrated campaign was necessary.
Under the auspices of, and funded by, KLT it was decided to print and distribute cards through the body’s wide membership network, informing tourists how to deal with corrupt traffic officials, irrespective of whether traffic infringements were real or fictitious. An e-flyer with the same information has also been designed to forward to all inbound tour operators so that they can insert this into itinerary packs for self-drive visitors and provide coach drivers/guides with the same.
Kruger Lowveld aims to proceed with this pilot project for three months and to distribute the cards in Hazyview, Graskop, Sabie, Hoedpsruit, the Timbavati and the Sabi Sand. It is anticipated that the initiative will go a long way to reducing the amount of corruption on the roadside. Any attempts at bribery and extortion will be reported immediately to the South African Police Service and corrupt traffic officers will be disciplined and, where applicable, dismissed.

Lisa Sheard, Chairperson of Kruger Lowveld Tourism, has praised the assistance received from the SAPS in this regard. “We have had swift, efficient and meaningful buy-in from the SAPS to the extent that they have allocated a dedicated, senior SAPS member to this initiative.  This also confirms that the authorities are taking tourist safety and security seriously.” 
SATSA has been fully informed of this process as it has unfolded. David Frost, SATSA CEO, heralded the anti-corruption initiative as “ground-breaking and testament to the energy of the tourism industry”.