Traffic cops in licence blitz

We are sending a clear message to traffic offenders that the honeymoon is over.

Collen Msibi

National transport department spokesperson

As the Easter holiday period drew to an end yesterday, traffic authorities were concerned about the high number of motorists driving without a driver’s licence or public driving permit, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) said.

“From the cars which were stopped and checked since the start of the holidays, 843 motorists were driving without driver’s licences and 380 did not have public driver’s permits,” RTMC spokesperson Simon Zwane said.

Driving unroadworthy vehicles was another contributing factor to crashes and fatalities. During operations conducted by law enforcers, vehicles were inspected and road users were given notices for driving unroadworthy vehicles.

Smooth tyres, faulty direction indicators and parking brakes were the leading offences where notices had been issued, with a total of 590 notices for tyres and 280 for faulty rear lights.

The RTMC urged motorists to exercise patience as they drove home and avoid speeding. Law enforcement operations would continue on all major routes to ensure the safety of all road users.

National transport department spokesperson Collen Msibi said the RTMC’s law enforcement operations had once again paid off with the arrest of an “alarming number of drunk drivers and road speedsters this Easter weekend”.

“Our traffic police have also impounded a number of unroadworthy vehicles. Though the consolidated figures will be released after Easter, we have ensured that those detected twice while speeding on the same route are also arrested.

“We can no longer tolerate habitual traffic offenders. We therefore call upon the judiciary to impose stiffer sentences to perpetual traffic offenders,” he said.

The department also made sure that unroadworthy vehicles impounded during this period would not be released until after the holiday.

“We are sending a clear message to traffic offenders that the honeymoon is over. Reckless drivers and chancers shall face the consequences of their actions and pay the ... price. As the Easter weekend draws to a close, we once again warn motorists to take responsibility [for] their actions as they prepare to drive back home.

“Motorists must also know that through [the] RTMC, we have deployed over 18 000 traffic officers countrywide. This means they will certainly be caught if they are found breaking the rules of the road,” Msibi said.