Overload justice claims first consignor

Sasol fined along with haulier KEVIN MAYHEW FOR THE first time a consignor has been charged in an overloading case in terms of new dangerous goods transport legislation. Although the PSP water tanker was caught overloaded in July last year and its owner S Bothma and Sons Transport charged, Sasol as the consignor was added as an accused due to the provisions of the SABS0231 dealing with consignment responsibilities. Sasol has paid an admission of guilt fine of R5000. SBothma and Sons Transport has appealed against its fine of R6000 or 12 months imprisonment recently imposed. And in another bust at Bapsfontein weighbridge, east of Kempton Park, a chronic case of overloading has been discovered - an 11 260kgs overload on August 31. Owned by Mikon Transport, the vehicle was loaded with silica sand on its way to a tile factory in Edenvale. The truck tractor and semi-trailer had a combination mass of 44 960kgs against a permissible combination load of 33 700kgs. According to the overloading website hosted by the Department of Transport, the vehicle was overloaded on all three axles/axle units. The steering axle was overloaded by 31,3%, the drive axle by 5 760kgs (64%) and the tandem axle unit on the semi-trailer by 3 400kgs. The driver of the vehicle was released on bail. Just six weeks before, a truck with an overload of 30 000kgs was apprehended at the same weighbridge.