Busted! JMPD’s eWallet bribery hustle exposed

Updated March 6, 2025, 6:20 a.m. | By East Coast Breakfast / Skyye Ndlovu

Welcome to 2025, where police officers have now gone cashless and are accepting bribes digitally!

When you think of bribery, you probably imagine a shady cash handover in a dark alley or an envelope mysteriously appearing under a table.

Well, it’s 2025 now and even dirty money has gone digital.

The Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) is cracking down on officers who allegedly found a new way to collect bribes through eWallets and CashSend.

Yep. Instead of the old-school “cold drink” handshake, some cops have been directing drivers to send their “fines” straight to ghost cellphone numbers.

Smooth, right? Not so much, because now the department is on to them.

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Newly appointed JMPD chief Patrick Jaca is not about that life, and he’s made it crystal clear to his officers.

“These alleged actions are a betrayal of public trust and undermine the department’s commitment to serving the community with integrity. If you’re caught, expect strict disciplinary action – including criminal prosecution.”

Jaca also had a warning for motorists: “Offering a bribe is a serious offence. If you try to bribe an officer, you’ll be arrested and face the full consequences of the law.”

Translation? If you thought paying R500 to get out of a ticket was a clever move, imagine paying bail instead.

It’s clear that the JMPD wants to clean up the streets, and Jaca is urging citizens to report corruption, so the police force can do what it’s actually meant to do – serve and protect, not swipe and collect.