RFA hits out at ‘extreme’ parking violation measures in Harrismith

Ask any truck driver doing the trip between Johannesburg and Durban and he’ll tell you – it makes sense to stop in the Free State town of Harrismith, often referred to as ‘halfway house’. But what is supposed to be a break from the stress of handling a rig has become a major hassle as more and more drivers find themselves in trouble with authorities for parking illegally. According to the Road Freight Association (RFA), discussions with the Harrismith municipality have been fruitless as they maintain they informed “all freight operators” that a law enforcement programme was to be implemented against illegal parking. According to RFA spokesman Gavin Kelly, municipal officials are claiming that truck drivers are parking illegally and therefore contravening the parking regulations, which is why trucks are being impounded in the town. “While it remains unclear why the place where they are parking is suddenly considered illegal, we agree that if someone has contravened the parking regulations that steps must be taken. Impounding a truck there and then for a parking violation is something entirely different,” said Kelly. “It comes down to procedure. If someone has committed an offence then the process of the law follows and that includes meting out punishment. That offender is not found guilty right then and there and the punishment decided by the very same person who has deemed the act illegal. That is not the law of the country.” He said at the same time the feeling was that impounding vehicles with cargo valued at millions of rands for a parking violation was considered extreme. “In this regard we have met with the municipality, but we have not had a favourable response. We are therefore asking anyone who has been in a situation like this in Harrismith to come forward with that information so that we can take action, but to do that we need examples of what has happened,” said Kelly. “While the municipality maintains they have communicated about the law enforcement programme and that clear signage was raised in this regard, our members are telling us something different. To act on it we require affidavits to the fact that signage was absent, that no communication was received, and that drivers were targeted in areas where parking has always been allowed.” CAPTION Gavin Kelly … ‘unfavourable response from municipality.’