Telkom CEO Sipho Maseko has presented himself to the authorities following a fraud scandal that emerged last week in which it was alleged he has racked up thousands in traffic fines with another individual's number plates.
Daily newspaper The Star broke the story in a front-page spread on Friday. According to the paper, the rightful owner of the licence plate number Maseko has allegedly been driving around with, recently "gave chase" and stopped the Telkom CEO to confront him.
Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) spokesperson superintendent Wayne Minnaar confirmed on Friday morning that a high-level investigation is being conducted by the JMPD's number plate investigation unit, and that the SA Police Services and director of prosecutions would come to a decision on the matter.
Telkom could not respond immediately, but later said the allegations related to a personal matter involving Maseko, and are "in no way related to Telkom". As such, says the company, the CEO will deal with it in his personal capacity.
Telkom says Maseko is committed to resolving the issue within the ambit of the law and the company trusts he will continue to work with the relevant authorities until the matter is resolved. "[Telkom] therefore has no further comment on this matter."
Justice Project SA chairman Howard Dembovsky noted that, should the allegations against Maseko be found to be true, the CEO could - as in any other fraud case - be fined or imprisoned, or both.
He says, whether the number plate issue boils down to a genuine error caused by the number plate embosser - or a deliberate action on the part of the accused - "the onus is on the owner of the vehicle" to do the relevant checks.
Regulation 35(6)(g) of the National Road Traffic Act Regulations states: "No person shall operate on a public road a motor vehicle in or on which a number plate is carried on which a licence number appears which is not applicable to such motor vehicle or anything purporting to be a licence number, unless he or she provides evidence that such plate was not carried with criminal intent."
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