The ensuing holiday period is indeed the season to be jolly, and for corrupt law enforcers to elicit illegal lolly, better known by its real name – bribery.
In a message sent out this morning by the Federation of East and Southern African Road Transport Associations (Fesarta), the watchdog said “the festive season is traditionally ‘extra bonus time’ for traffic cops”.
According to Fesarta chief executive Mike Fitzmaurice, “one of their typical scams to bribe drivers relates to the grace period of 21 days for vehicle licence renewal.
“Their claim to fame – or infamy – is that this grace period only applies to small cars - but the act refers to a ‘motor vehicle’ (in other words ALL vehicles) and not a small car.”
Too often in the past hauliers have been hoodwinked by wily cops, persuading them that trucks are not entitled to the 21-day grace period.
Unsurprisingly, mitigation is often easily at hand through a ‘facilitation fee’ – payable on the spot.
All the more reason then, said Fitzmaurice, for transporters to inform their drivers what the law states about the classification of a motor vehicle.
He said: “A motor vehicle, also known as motorised vehicle or automotive vehicle, is a self-propelled land vehicle, commonly wheeled, that does not operate on rails (such as trains or trams) and is used for the transportation of people or cargo.”
Better still to refer to a departmental notice about licence renewal itself: https://tinyurl.com/anu5dzvv.
Fitzmaurice said: “Please refer traffic cops to this act and the correct definition of a ‘motor vehicle’.
“We had an incident this morning where one of our members was stopped at Hammanskraal by traffic cops for an expired vehicle licence within the 21-day grace period granted by the road traffic act, and they threatened to impound the truck and trailer.
“After showing the traffic cops the act and the correct definition of a ‘motor vehicle’ the truck and driver were released.”
