WINDHOEK – It all happens outside Natis Valley, where con artists watch and wait for their next unsuspecting victim.
The supply and demand for acquiring a driver’s licence is a sideshow that unfolds on a daily basis amidst the hustle and bustle of cars, taxi’s and people milling in and around the Natis testing and licence grounds in the northern industrial area.
Woema spent a day observing the two-timing cabal and made contact with one of the gangs operating at Natis Valley right under the noses of the employees of the Roads Authority and the traffic department. They approach you. Offering you whatever it is that you want. You have to meet in secrecy, with a ‘runner’ conducting the negotiations on behalf of a voice on the other end of the phone. You are promised a driver’s licence.
You are told that the paper work gets done by people working ‘inside Natis’ and that you have to first fill out a form and give them N$260, which quickly becomes N$360. It doesn’t take long to negotiate the full price of buying what they maintain is a valid document, with the price starting off at N$2 500. Many phone calls later, the scenario of the perfect scam unfolds.
A well spoken man on the other end claims to be one of the testing inspectors who requests half the money up front. “You must give it to the boy,” referring to the runner who is facilitating the deal in person with you. He claims there are three people who need to be paid, which includes a lady who takes your picture – ‘inside’. I played along, until the calls became more desperate and frequent, demanding the money. I was told that many people are buying licences, even truck drivers and that this goes on every day. They say the licence documents are printed ‘inside’ and that you will receive your temporary driver’s licence on the spot. Your ticket to freedom.
Everything I was told sounded fishy and I was not buying. But in a vehicle parked next to me, a man who had negotiated a deal for N$1 500 was on the phone with the ‘insider’ promising that the money was ready. So I decided to do a little fishing of my own and contacted a high-profile Driving School owner, who is a regular at the testing grounds, and she told Woema that the people I was dealing with are out and out fraudsters. “They are not to be trusted, they take your money and run,” said the woman who preferred anonymity.
Reeled in – hook, line and sinker
“First they come with a small amount to reel you in, which you think is ok, then they want more, and finally after many excuses, and more stalling, many people end up paying thousands of dollars and never see these guys again, least of all a driver’s licence. If by some chance a document does materialise, it is falsified and the number is not on the system, so it is really dangerous for anyone to think that they can get away with buying a licence from one of these criminals. These are just gangs that move around targeting people who want to take a short cut and buy their licence – but they are just exposing themselves to being ripped off.”
Roads Authority spokesperson Hileni Fillemon has warned the public to be on the lookout for con artists at Natis Valley, who are targeting the public – a matter which has been brought to their attention. “We would like to think our people are not involved with this, and until such time we have proof, we believe these are chance seekers operating outside our facility, targeting people who want to take a short cut. Once someone is outside of the premises, we do not have control over what is going on, but even if you are approached by someone wearing a Natis shirt, do not fall for the bait – because we have close circuit tv camera’s set up inside and outside.”
“We run campaigns on radio warning people about trying to buy their driver’s licences from scammers, who are out to take your money. The minute you accept a bribe you are encouraging these criminals, and if you do a transaction outside our offices you are just as guilty as those gangsters,” she warned. “The Roads Authority has erected a large billboard with all the information on it for their customers to follow the right procedures – and that all valid transactions must be done inside the Natis building, and at the counters.
By Donna Collins