Rogue police officers soliciting bribes from self-drive tourists are a major threat to the tourism industry in South Africa, says Lisa Sheard, Chairperson Kruger Lowveld Tourism (KLT). Especially in Mpumalanga, roadside corruption is still rife. KLT recorded over 60 incidents between April and September this year, with tour operators saying there are numerous more incidents happening.

Traffic officers stop tourists, claiming they have broken the law by for example not coming to a complete halt at stop signs, not keeping enough distance between the next car or crossing a solid white line. They then proceed to demand outrageous cash ‘fines’ of up to R2 000 for which the travellers never get a receipt. A Dutch family of nine was stopped this way for changing lanes without indicating. The officers ‘escorted’ the family to the nearest ATM to draw the cash.

An English family was stopped by a traffic officer alleging that they were driving too close to the truck in front of them. When the family asked what the correct following distance was, the officer replied it was either 5,6 or 7 m. The tour operator who reported this case said: “The clients are visibly shaken at this blatant corruption and are scared to continue their journey to Johannesburg tomorrow. I doubt they will ever visit South Africa again.”

The reputational damage to South Africa as a tourism destination as a result of these incidences is massive, says Sheard. “We know that people who have fallen victim to corrupt traffic officials have vowed never to visit the region and country again. The chances are that these tourists will also tell their friends and family not to visit.”

According to Sheard, government has been slow to address the problem. She explains that Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom visited Kruger Lowveld in June and urged the MEC to handle the problem. The provincial government is now developing a strategy to deal with roadside corruption, which will be finalised in October 2015.

In the meantime, Trans African Concessions (TRAC) announced it has partnered with KLT and the South African Police Services (SAPS) in a four-month Roadside Anti-Corruption Initiative to inform travellers that it’s illegal to pay cash to a traffic officer or any other official on the roadside.

KLT launched the Anti-Corruption Initiative over a year ago, handing over business cards to tourists to warn them. At that time, only accommodation establishments handed out this information. Thanks to the partnership with TRAC, tourists will now receive the information at the toll gates on route to Mpumalanga. TRAC will also be erecting boards, in key hot-spot areas, to further generate awareness around the campaign.

Says Sheard: “What we found was that we need to get to the tourists before they get to our region and inform them in advance of how to deal with corrupt traffic officials.  Many tourists get “taken” before they get to one of our member establishments. So essentially, we are pushing back the boundaries in the hope of greater prevention.”

 “Tourism is one of the identified key areas leading to job creation in South Africa. The bad experiences of visitors who have encountered fraud, corruption and theft, reverberate overseas and undo all the good work done by our tourism ambassadors,” says Graham Esterhuysen TRAC’s CEO.

Tour operators wanting to inform their clients about the problem, can obtain an electronic flyer from KLT. Sheard warns that tour operators should help clients with some explanations. She says: “The idea is not to scare the tourists, but to empower them with knowledge on their travel through South Africa. South Africa is a great self-drive destination, but good travel advice is needed.”

Craig Smith, MD New Frontiers, says it’s important to explain to travellers that there have been instances of traffic officers asking for cash payment for fines in Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga. Travellers need to know it is strictly illegal to pay cash to a traffic officer and that a legitimate traffic violation must be written out. This should be paid at a police station or magistrate’s court only, where an official receipt is issued. In the case of car rental – the rental company will investigate and administer the fines

There is a 24 hour police line +27 (0) 82 4517044 to report any officer requesting a cash settlement.