Getting facts straight

THE letters “Traffic cones farce” and “Suspicious traffic fine” (Cape Times, January 7, 2015) refer.

With regard to the latter, while it is true that the City of Cape Town uses an SMS notification service to remind motorists about outstanding traffic fines, we certainly do not offer discounts via this service.

We would like to view the SMS in question to verify whether or not it is a prank, scam or possibly even a fine incurred elsewhere in the country where such discounts may apply. Most likely, the SMS was sent out by a municipality where the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) legislation is applicable.

I would like to encourage the member of the public to visit their nearest Traffic Department should they wish to pursue the matter.

To the author of the letter about Kalk Bay and the restrictions placed on entry to the harbour: Our staff in the area controlled access to the parking lot as a result of severe congestion, with vehicles intermittently backing up on the railway crossing.

This not only posed a risk to motorists but also caused additional congestion along the Main Road. This is not the first time Cape Town Traffic has had to control access in this manner. It has been reported to me that the author was extremely disrespectful in his engagement with the three (and not four) staff members present – two traffic officers and one supervisor – when asked to seek alternative parking.

Contrary to the allegations, our staff assisted the parking attendants (even though this is not part of their function) by allowing vehicles into the parking area as spots became available.

The number of motor vehicles trying to access coastal facilities far exceeded the road and parking capacity so people will have to start looking at public transport options.

I am already in discussions with Transport for Cape Town (the city’s transport authority) about implementing a traffic management system along the False Bay coastline at the end of this year, especially along Baden Powell Drive.

The city’s staff have been working very hard over the festive season to ensure the safety of residents and visitors alike, and it is a pity some members of the public feel entitled to take pot shots in this manner without having all the facts at hand.

Where we experience staffing issues we deal with them swiftly and in an appropriate fashion.

I would encourage the writer to lodge a formal complaint in future before attempting to sully the reputation of our staff and the Safety and Security Directorate on a public platform.

The City of Cape Town’s website has contact details for all relevant officials, including me, so I can’t imagine that it would have been more difficult to source than the e-mail address for the letters editor. Alderman JP Smith