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MBABANE – Transporting children to schools without public driving permits, operating permits and certificates of fitness has seen 16 motorists known as bomalume arrested in Mbabane.

The motorists, who were driving import cars such as Toyota 9oxy, Toyota 1oah, Honda )it and Ma]da 9erisa, were arrested at Mvakwelitje, Sidwashini, among other areas, since last week. $ppearing at the Mbabane Magistrates Court, the motorists pleaded guilty to the charges. They said they were trying to put food on the table, since they were unemployed.

$sked why they did not get the proper documents to run their businesses, the motorists told the court that they were still in the process of getting the proper documents.

Some stated that they had tried numerous times and failed to get the proper documentation, since permits were not issued for any car smaller than a seven seater.

2thers claimed that they were transporting their children to school. They claimed that they did not know that transporting their own children to school was a crime, if they did not have operating permits, driving permits and certificates of fitness.

Permit

“The operating permit, public driving permit and the certificate of fitness were designed to ensure that any person transporting the public is authorised by the law. 1o one is targeted, but the law seeks to ensure that the public is safe in the hands of those entrusted with transporting children. *et the proper documents and continue with your business,” Magistrate 4ondile Mtetwa told the motorists.

“The court will sentence you to a maximum fine if you appear in this court charged with the same offence tomorrow or any other day.

The motorists were sentenced to three months im prisonment with an option to pay a fine of E300 for operating without permits. They were fined E200 each for operating without a public driving permit. They also parted with E200 for operating without a certificate of fitness.

The sentences were made to run consecutively, meaning they parted with E700 each to gain their freedom.