Minister clamps down on ‘culture of bribery’
MINISTER of Transport Dipuo Peters has called for a clampdown on the “culture of bribery” in the traffic law enforcement fraternity to end the “lawlessness” on South Africa’s roads.
This comes after damning findings in the latest South African Citizen’s Bribery survey, where bribery to avoid traffic fines topped the list.
KwaZulu-Natal was found to be the province where motorists were most likely to be asked to pay a bribe. Bribery to obtain a driver’s licence was high up on the list.
More than 30 traffic officers have been arrested around the country for bribery, fraud and corruption since the start of last year.
Speaking at the opening of the first National Traffic Indaba at Durban’s ICC yesterday, Peters said bribery was a major factor in the high number of road accidents.
MEC for Transport in KwaZuluNatal Mxolisi Kaunda said the indaba would prove vital in addressing the “scourge” on the roads.
“Our fraternity is the most corrupt,” Peters told a room of hundreds of traffic officers from around the country. “I had the misfortune of witnessing the arrest of licensing officers on allegations of fraud and corruption. I can attest that it is a humiliating experience,” she said.
Peters sent a stern message to the public that they “pay to kill people” when indulging in bribery, such as paying off officials to allow non-roadworthy vehicles.
“For a cold drink or R100 you are spoiling an officer who should be protecting your life.
“Today it’s somebody else’s life, but tomorrow it will be your life that that (officer) you are bribing could have saved.”
The minister told officers they could not expect the public to comply with the rules of the road knowing that they “can buy their way out of facing the consequences”.
She said that no one should get a free pass on the road. “No mayor must say, ‘I’m rushing to a meeting’. Once you start doing favours for MECs, mayors, or priests, where will it end?”
MEC Kaunda said: “KZN has the highest number of registered vehicles, 1.5 million and growing. “We also have the busiest ports (Durban and Richards Bay) so we have to manage freight and logistics trucks. It all has an impact on traffic management.”
Peters said there were 18 916 traffic officers in the country who oversee about 750 000km of road. “When we emerge from here on Friday, people should expect a different kind of traffic law practitioner.”
Kaunda they would be tabling their festive season safety plans to the provincial executive council this week. It would be an “integrated effort” involving all law enforcement divisions, and they had engaged with taxi councils to ensure compliance.
There would also be 24/7 visibility of officers in “hotspot” areas.