Traffic culprits ‘can kiss amnesty goodbye’

Pro firm to chase R110m in fines

LAW-BREAKING Eastern Cape motorists have failed to pay more than R110-million in traffic fines, which is 88% of the total of R125-million of fines that were issued in the past two financial years.

This is according to transport MEC Weziwe Tikana.

Traffic fines to the tune of R62million were issued during the 201617 financial year.

However, a mere R7-million was collected.

In the 2017-18 financial year, the sum of fines issued rose to R63million. Of that amount, only R5million was paid by offending motorists.

Tikana said her department was now in the process of awarding a tender to a debt collection service provider to legally compel those who owe to pay their debts.

“It is believed that a certain percentage of these outstanding fines would be recovered through scheduled law-enforcement operations by the debt collector,” said Tikana.

So desperate is the government that during Tikana’s budget speech three months ago, she offered a carrot-and-stick amnesty on fines.

That amnesty window slams shut tomorrow.

The amnesty, however, came with strict terms and conditions that included:

● Offenders’ fines would be reduced by only half;

● Fines must have been incurred between April and September 2016;

● Those who have not paid by tomorrow, can kiss the amnesty goodbye and brace themselves for paying full amounts; and

● Offenders should not try to claim amnesty when bust on the road by traffic officers – they would have to go to the traffic department and claim their amnesty there.

Unpaid traffic fines issued during the amnesty period amount to a sizeable R30-million.

Tikana said the amnesty was granted only to offenders who voluntarily came in to check and pay their fines.

All other traffic fines issued outside the April to September 2016 period were payable in full unless otherwise indicated by the courts — for example in cases where drivers had chosen to contest their fines.

She added the department would unleash arrest warrants for those with traffic fines within the same period who ignored the amnesty offer, saying: “Those who fail to honour their debt will face the full might of the law”.

Tikana said they chose April to September 2016 as this was the period when the highest number of traffic fines was issued.

Transport spokeswoman Khuselwa Rantjie yesterday said the amnesty had proved fruitless as offenders were only enquiring, and “dololo [none] were paying”. —