There’s a pressing need for more serious sanctions for traffic transgressions in South Africa, according to the City of Cape Town.
In a statement released yesterday (Monday), the city noted that continued calls for increased enforcement were misplaced as it was clear that enforcement was taking place, however a more effective form of enforcement was required.
“Currently the law does not allow for the arrest of an unlicensed driver, so people will simply continue to do as they please,” said City MMC for Safety, Security and Social Services, JP Smith. “Even drunk driving cases take an age to finalise and many are thrown out, so there are no real consequences to force behavioural change.”
During a single roadblock in Mitchells Plain over the past weekend, city traffic officers issued fines to over 50 unlicensed drivers and arrested 20 motorists for drunk driving.
He pointed out that the city had been advocating for a review of national legislation to ensure more effective enforcement - and in the interim was expanding traffic by-law to extend enforcement powers to all enforcement staff in Cape Town.
Additionally, the Western Cape government was moving ahead with its new Provincial Traffic Act which would allow for the impoundment of unlicensed drivers’ vehicles.
