ENatis ‘can change hands in a day’
The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) says the handing over of eNatis by Tasima can be done in a day and all that is required is “for the shareholders to walk away”. The High Court in Pretoria will now need to interpret a Constitutional Court judgment from November in order to rule on a back-and-forth tussle between Tasima and the RTMC.
The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) says the handing over of the electronic National Traffic Information System (eNatis) by Tasima can be done in a day and all that is required is “for the shareholders to walk away”.
The High Court in Pretoria will now need to interpret a Constitutional Court judgment from November in order to rule on a back-and-forth tussle between Tasima and the RTMC.
Both sides have traded accusations of contempt of court and blame each other for national traffic registry dysfunction.
Tasima maintains a handover of the system could take eight weeks. “What we want to avoid at all costs is a chaotic handover, which the [RTMC] wants and we submit would happen,” said advocate Alistair Franklin, SC, for Tasima.
In November, the Constitutional Court concluded that a 2010 contract extension by the Department of Transport was unlawful, ordering a handover of the system within 30 days. Tasima, however, has interpreted this in conjunction with a further order that parties meet within 10 days to finalise a new migration plan, failing which a 2007 plan — which speaks of a five-year transfer — would take effect.
There have been multiple court battles by Tasima, seeking payment for services rendered, and the RTMC, which maintains it has been prepared since mid2015 to take over the service.
Judge Neil Tuchtens is expected to rule on Monday.
The irregular contract has also led to fraud and corruption charges against then transport minister Sbu Ndebele, who returned to court on Thursday.
The case of fraud, corruption and money laundering has been postponed many times, the latest to November 10, to allow more time for representations.
Ndebele’s instructing attorney, Linda Dube, said on Thursday that his client had never met with President Jacob Zuma to discuss the case. “There was no such lobbying,” he said. City Press reported on Sunday that charges against Ndebele would be dropped after political pressure was brought to bear by Zuma after a meeting in 2016.