Few South Africans pay traffic fines

Sapa | 30 December, 2012 10:45

Image by: http://www.joburg.org.za/police

Only a fraction of South Africans pay their traffic fines, according to reports.

The annual report of the Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) revealed that motorists on the national contraventions register owe R1.6 billion in outstanding traffic fines issued in the Tshwane and Johannesburg metro municipalities, City Press reported.

According to the RTIA report, motorists in Tshwane and Johannesburg racked up fines of R980 million between April 2011 and March 2012, but have paid fines worth only R86 million (nine percent of the total value).

Tshwane and Johannesburg were the only metro municipalities which participated in the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) pilot phase.

Aarto makes provision for a contravention register that captures outstanding traffic fines countrywide. Aarto will also prevent drivers with outstanding traffic fines from renewing their vehicle and driver's licences.

Transport Minister Ben Martins was expected to announce the introduction of the Aarto Act early next year. RTIA was set up to implement the act.

Of the 1.8 million fines issued in the Johannesburg and Tshwane metros in the past financial year, only 251,125 (14 percent ) were paid.

KZN MEC stops fitness tests for traffic officer jobs

 

Sapa | 30 December, 2012 08:24

Willies Mchunu
Image by: THULI DLAMINI © Sowetan.

KwaZulu-Natal transport MEC Willies Mchunu has suspended all tests for Road Traffic Inspectorate jobs after seven people died.

The SABC reported that he said he would investigate the incident whereby "scores" of people who were trying to get a job at the road traffic inspectorate, collapsed during a fitness test.

"More than 34,000 applicants qualified for the 90 trainee posts which were advertised," said Mchunu in a statement.

He said that 15,600 applicants attended a fitness test at the Harry Gwala Stadium on Thursday, and a similar number attended on Friday.

"Scores of them could not cope with the hot weather condition and collapsed."

Many were taken to hospital.

Six die at traffic cop fitness test

 

Sapa | 29 December, 2012 15:26

KZN traffic police insignia.

Six people have died from suspected dehydration after taking part in a KwaZulu-Natal traffic department recruitment fitness test,

Another person apparently committed suicide in frustration after the test, SABC news  reported.

Provincial Transport, Community Safety and Liaison MEC Willies Mchunu could not be reached for comment about the deaths.

However, in a statement on Saturday he said he would investigate the incident whereby "scores" of people who were trying to get a job at the road traffic inspectorate, collapsed during a fitness test.

"More than 34,000 applicants qualified for the 90 trainee posts which were advertised," said Mchunu in a statement.

He said that 15,600 applicants attended a fitness test at the Harry Gwala Stadium on Thursday, and a similar number attended on Friday.

"Scores of them could not cope with the hot weather condition and collapsed."

Many were taken to hospital.

Mchunu said that he would meet with those in charge of the test on Saturday.

"We regret any injuries or lost of lives as a result of the fitness test," he said.

Drivers take eyes off road for a fifth of each journey

 

THE ALARMING extent to which drivers lose concentration has been highlighted by researchers.

Motorists take their eyes off the road for almost a fifth of their time behind the wheel, rising to nearly a quarter if they use a GPS device, a study has found.

Evidence from revolutionary eye-tracking technology shows that drivers take their eyes off the road every nine seconds on average, attracted by passing clouds, adverts, scenery and a host of other distractions.

The results emerged after the researchers took 100 drivers and recorded where their eyes were focused during a 22-minute drive through a city. Specialist glasses pinpointed the exact focus of the eye by tracking microscopic movements in the cornea.

The experiment was captured on film and enabled researchers to establish exactly where drivers focused their vision.

The study found that average drivers spent 18 percent of their time behind the wheel not watching the road. Those who used GPS devices spend 22 percent of their time focused away from the road. They spent 12 percent of their time behind the wheel looking at their GPS devices, and 10 percent on other distractions.

For a driver travelling from London to Brighton, a journey of one and half hours, this is equivalent to 11 minutes with their eyes fixed on their GPS screen.

Average motorists spend 7 percent of their time behind the wheel looking at buildings, clouds and scenery, 0.8 percent of it gazing at adverts, 0.7 percent reading maps, 0.2 percent checking the radio, and 0.1 percent looking at their passengers, according to the study. Only 2 percent of their time is spent looking at oncoming vehicles and 0.6 percent observing road signs.

They spend the same amount of time – 3 percent – watching pedestrians who are not crossing the road as they do checking their mirrors.

But analysis of film footage showed that while both men and women were distracted by good-looking pedestrians, only men turned their heads completely away from the road as a result.

Simon Henrick, a spokesman for Direct Line car insurance, which commissioned the study, said: “For the first time we know exactly where people focus their eyes when driving – the results are frightening.

“Even when drivers appear to be watching the road, by tracking movements in the cornea we now know they are often watching clouds or shop window displays.”

Separate research by the Money supermarket.com website says three quarters of motorists admit being distracted behind the wheel.

The main distractions include fiddling with the radio or CD changer (54 percent), drinking a beverage or eating a snack (47 percent for each), making a call or SMSing on a cellphone (16 percent for each) and dozing (4 percent). – Daily Mail

Sleepy, drunken drivers equally bad

 

Created: Thursday, May 31, 2012

Being sleepy behind the wheel is almost as bad as drinking and driving, suggests a new study from France.

The study, published as a letter in the Archives of Internal Medicine, found that drivers who were either drunk or sleepy were at least twice as likely to be responsible for a vehicle accident compared to well-rested and sober drivers.

Christopher Drake, an associate scientist at the Henry Ford Hospital Sleep Disorders and Research Center in Detroit, said the findings do not change what was already known, but the study is still "interesting".
Being tired dangerous if you're driving

"We know from experimental studies that just four hours of sleep loss will produce as much impairment as a six pack. If you have a whole night of sleep loss, that's equivalent to having a blood alcohol content of 0.19," Drake, who was not involved with the new research, said.

Under the direction of Dr Nicholas Moore at the Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire de Bordeaux in France, researchers analysed information from 679 drivers who were admitted to a hospital in southwest France for more than 24 hours because of a serious accident between 2007 and 2009.

The researchers used information from driver questionnaires and police reports to determine what may have contributed to the accidents. Drivers reported what medications they were on, their alcohol use and how sleepy they had been before the crash. Patient files provided information on blood alcohol levels.

The majority of the injured drivers were under 55 years old and men. Over half were on a motorcycle, about one-third were in a car and 10% were peddling a bicycle at the time of the accident.

The police determined that 355 of the drivers were responsible for their respective crashes. From that, Dr. Moore and his colleagues found that age between 18 and 29, drinking alcohol and being sleepy were all tied to an increased risk of causing an accident.
Hard to punish sleepy drivers

Surprisingly, taking medications that carry warnings about affecting a driver's abilities - one of the researchers' main focuses - was tied to a lower risk of causing an accident.

Dr Moore said that may be because people taking those medications are more aware of their side effects. "Medicinal drugs might be an issue to keep an eye on and warn people about, but it's not the main issue," he said.

There are some laws in the US to punish sleepy drivers, but Drake said they are hard to enforce unless someone gets into an accident.

"It's very difficult. There is no breathalyzer for sleepiness," he said.

The study did have some limitations. Some of the questions are based on the patients' own reports, which may be subjective. Also, there is no way to know how many accidents sleepiness actually caused.

Overall, Dr Moore said the best advice is, "don't drink and please sleep." "There is no substitute for sleep," said Dr Drake.
(Reuters Health, May 2012)

59 ROAD DEATHS SINCE START OF DECEMBER

Mecrobin Carlisle says accident rate on W Cape roads highest in three years

FIFTY-nine people have died on Western Cape roads since the start of the month, Transport MEC Robin Carlisle has revealed.

PICTURES: DAVID RITCHIEXXXXXXXXXX HEAVY LOAD Taxi drivers pack passenger luggage onto a trailer at the Joe Gqabi taxi rank in Philippi yesterday

Speaking at the launch of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation’s annual free testing period yesterday, Carlisle said: “In the first nine days of December, 59 people were killed on Western Cape roads. This is far in excess of last year, and the worst [fatality rate] we have had in three years.”

Carlisle added that the carnage happened in spite of the intensive and extensive measures put in place on roads over the festive season.

He said that sleepy motorists in the Western Cape would have their car keys confiscated for four hours in a move to lower accidents caused by fatigue.

Based on the opinion of traffic officers, drivers who were tired would be asked to park in a safe area and their keys kept from them. Once the four hours had elapsed, their keys would be returned so they could resume their journey.

This measure would be implemented only if there was not another licensed and capable person in the vehicle to take over the driving.

Carlisle said the National Road Traffic Act empowered officers to stop people from driving if they were incapable at the time, either physically or mentally.

“A fatigued driver is just as dangerous as a drunken driver,” he said.

In an attempt to reduce road carnage over the festive season, longdistance taxis and other vehicles will be given free safety tests as part of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation’s annual free testing period.

The testing period allows for longdistance travellers to go to the participating AVTS testing stations for a safety check, which includes checking the vehicle’s brakes, suspension and headlights.

AVTS managing director Ferose Oaten said it was a privilege for the company to be a part of the free safety inspections.

She said the free vehicle checks would run until Friday. These were not roadworthy tests but safety checks that served as an early warning to operators and drivers.

Brett Herron, mayoral committee for transport, was confident that the checks could reduce road crashes.

“If we can combine the law and safer vehicles we will make a greater impact on carnage over the festive season as we will have safer vehicles on the roads,” Herron said.

Meanwhile at the Joe Gqabi interchange, in Philippi, long-distance taxi driver Thabo Toana said he had not heard about the free vehicle testing and that his vehicle had last been tested six months ago.

He said he was preparing to leave today and had 20 passengers booked in his Iveco van.

Toana was one of many taxi drivers and travellers preparing to hit the road and visit other parts of South Africa. He added that it got very busy around December 15.

“This weekend will be really busy, but I have a second driver with me so when I get tired he starts to drive,” Toana said.

Blitz on sleepy drivers

 

December 10 2012

---

David Ritchie

ROUGH: Robin Carlisle said he had no idea whether it was legal to confiscate a drivers car keys, but I dont care.

Caryn Dolley

SLEEPY motorists will now be pulled off the road, forced to rest and have their vehicle’s keys confiscated, in a drastic move by provincial traffic authorities who say they will push ahead even if it is illegal.

The initial fatigue management plan aimed at public transport has been operating for a year, but yesterday provincial traffic chief Kenny Africa said he had extended it three days ago to include all drivers.

He had been advised to do so by Transport and Public Works MEC Robin Carlisle.

Yesterday Carlisle said 54 people had died in road accidents in the province since the start of December and at least 25 were fatigue-related.

Asked if it was legal to confiscate drivers’ keys and force them to rest, he said: “I have no idea, but I don’t care either... We’ve got no option but to pull out all the stops, whether illegal or legal... I just don’t know what else to do than to become very rough.”

Local criminal lawyer William Booth said there had to be a law in place in order for traffic officers to carry it out, but as far as he was aware no such law existed and there was no legal basis for it to be done.

Automobile Association of SA spokesman Gary Ronald said while it would be “very difficult” to measure fatigue, even if the measure was illegal, he believed its intention was good.

“It’s a great initiative just to get the message across.”

Ronald said fatigue played a “massive” role in road deaths, and truck drivers were among those worst affected by it.

Yesterday Africa confirmed that the measure would be carried out. He had sent out an urgent message on Friday notifying traffic officers to be on the lookout for sleepy drivers.

He said officers would look out for symptoms including red eyes and drowsiness when trying to identify a tired driver.

If an officer felt a driver was fatigued, the officer would confiscate the driver’s keys and park the vehicle in a safe spot. The traffic officer would then watch over the resting driver.

Africa said if the driver was “obviously fatigued”, he or she would be made to rest for two to three hours.

The public transport fatigue management plan started on December 22 last year and Africa said one of the first drivers was pulled over near the Huguenot Tunnel.

After being forced to rest for two hours, he said officers had been unable to rouse the driver as he was sleeping so deeply.

In one of the latest fatigue clampdowns, Africa said between 8pm on Saturday and 6am yesterday on the “death stretch”, the road between Beaufort West, Laingsburg and Aberdeen, traffic officers had stopped 17 000 taxis.

Of these, he said 3 000 drivers had appeared fatigued and were “parked”.

“We confiscated their (vehicle) keys to enforce rest.”

Africa warned other drivers that this would happen to them regardless of the type of vehicle they drove or the road they were spotted on.

Another matter authorities were focusing on was drunk driving.

At the weekend, 19 drunk

drivers were arrested around the province.

Yesterday National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesman Eric Ntabazalila said the NPA was focusing on the main count related to drunk driving – driving under the influence of alcohol.

This was different to the alternative count a driver could face, of driving with a blood alcohol content above the legal limit.

“The main count is more serious and carries a harsher penalty,” Ntabazalila said.

A driver could face a R180 000 fine or nine months imprisonment, or both, if found guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol.

Ntabazalila said while the NPA was focusing on the driving under the influence of alcohol count, blood samples would still be taken from suspected drunk drivers so that if there was not enough evidence to support the main count, the State could pursue the alternative blood alcohol content count.

Regional justice department head Hishaam Mohamed said the department welcomed any measures that would lead to greater accountability.

“However, a blood alcohol test remains the primary evidentiary proof for the successful conviction of drunken driving,” he said.

Mohamed said the turnaround time for blood test results was between three to eight months, which was “obviously unacceptable”.

He hoped the forensic laboratory in Plattekloof would reduce the turnaround time.

caryn.dolley@inl.co.za

SIX DIE AS SAFETY CAMPAIGN STARTS

Father comes upon bodies of his four children after gruesome road crash

A FATHER’S worst nightmare has unfolded on a Cape “road of death”.

PICTURE: WILLIAM GROENEWALDGRUESOME This Venture smashed into an oncoming truck and all six people inside were killed

The man from Cape Town was travelling to the Eastern Cape at around 7am yesterday. His four children and two of their uncles were in a second vehicle, a Toyota Venture mini-van.

They were due to meet up in Laingsburg, provincial traffic chief Kenny Africa said. But, somehow, they missed each other. The Venture had continued on the N1 to Beaufort West.

Shortly after, ambulances left Laingsburg, heading towards Beaufort West too. The father followed them in his own car, Africa said. And around 40km along the N1, he and the ambulances came upon a terrible scene.

The Venture had smashed into an oncoming truck and all six people inside had been killed.

The truck driver told officers the Venture veered into his on-coming lane and they had connected head-on.

At the time of going to press, police spokesman Andre Traut said neither names nor ages had been released.

Africa said about 26 people had died on the road this festive season so far and they were planning to bring the number down from last year where 139 people died on the road during the festive season.

The latest tragedy unfolded on precisely the same day that a Western Cape provincial government cluster of MECs – Community Safety, Transport and Health – launched the seasonal “Safely Home” campaign.

Community Safety MEC Dan Plato said: “We will increase the detection and prosecution of road traffic offences by having all staff on duty, and will once again run a 24-hours-a-day, 7days-a-week operation. We will also have road blocks throughout the province and will stop and check at least 200 000 vehicles during the 2012/13 festive season.”

Transport MEC Robin Carlisle said that between December 1, last year, and January 31, this year, 243 people were killed on the province’s roads.

“The province is determined to bring that number down significantly,” he vowed.

“We are on track to reduce road deaths by 50 percent by December 2014. As of the end of November, we have reduced the fatalities by 29 percent. Over the next two months, I want to see that reduction go well past the 30 percent mark.”

The trio said Safely Home activities over this festive season would include:

The new Average Speed Over Distance (Asod) camera network enforcement system on 31.7km of road on the Three Sisters-Beaufort West to Laingsburg “death stretch” , adding to the already existing 71.6km Asod system on the Beaufort West to Aberdeen (R61) stretch.

A partnership with SANational Taxi Council’s (Santaco) “Hlokomela” project, the goal of which is to “change the face of the taxi industry” through its road safety initiative. Industry leaders will be assisting officials at ranks and road blocks to identify unroadworthy vehicles and address drivers on safety and the need for regular rests.

Various enforcement efforts that include fatigue management.

Other activities centred around speeding, drunk driving, and pedestrians (who account for half the fatalities in the province). Carlisle urged: “Switch on your headlights over the festive season, and please exercise patience. There will be congestion at times, this is just a natural result of everyone wanting to experience the same fun and festivities as you do. Be patient, and our traffic officers will do their best to ease the situation.”

Health MEC Theuns Botha added: “EMS will be present on the N1, N2, N7, R62, R61 and R27, and medical response teams will be on standby to support staff at rural hospitals. This year we will also be working with taxi operators to facilitate the transport of stranded passengers. Cross-border assistance will be rendered on the N1 and N7 for the Northern Cape, and on the N2, R61 and N12 for the Eastern Cape.

“On days when large-scale partying is anticipated, EMS will have satellite operational points,” Botha reported. – AdditionalreportingbyNeoMaditla

CITY ROLLS OUT CAMERAS

 

Carlisle pleased with the additional attempts to make the roads safer for travellers

SUPER-SMARTcamera networks – to nab speeding drivers – are to be installed in five sites across Cape Town.

SIGN OF TIMES Five speed-over-distance cameras, such as the one on the R61, will be installed around Cape Town

New plans for “average speed over distance” ( Asod) cameras were announced by the City of Cape Town’s mayco member for safety and security, JP Smith yesterday.

Among them is the M3, Table Bay Boulevard, Nelson Mandela Boulevard and other roads yet to be decided. Already, there is a system on the M5 – but no further exact sites have been identified other than somewhere on the M3, which runs between Hospital Bend and Lakeside.

A new Asod network was launched on one of the province’s “death roads”, just outside Beaufort West and 31.7km towards Three Sisters.

The project was initially implemented in October last year on a 71.6km stretch of road between Beaufort West and Aberdeen on the R61 – the longest camera network of its kind in the world.

Transport MEC Robin Carlisle’s office said of the plan: “Prior to the initial implementation on the R61 stretch from Beaufort West to Aberdeen, there had been a reported 509 crashes in total, 75 of which being fatal crashes resulting in the loss of 149 lives – this over the previous 12 years.

“Since the implementation of Asod on the R61 stretch, we have received no reports of any fatal crashes on that stretch.”

“We are very proud to add yet another weapon to our law enforcement The Average Speed Over Distance system calculates the average speed of a vehicle from the time it passes the first camera until it passes the second camera. The average speed is then determined by what it has taken a vehicle to travel from point A (where the first camera is located) to point B (where the second camera is located). Reaching point B in a time shorter than is determined by the distance and the speed limit, means that the driver is speeding. arsenal.

“This new Asod now means that a total of 103.3km of the province’s most dangerous roads are now covered by this camera enforcement network,” Carlisle said.

“This will have a profound effect on our continued battle to reduce the carnage on the road.

“The figures show that our efforts are working.

“We have achieved the fastest and most significant road death reduction in the world, a reduction of 28 percent since we started with Safely Home in 2009.

“A major challenge has been the ill- discipline that exists among motorists on the road.

“Vehicles driving below the speed limit of 120km/h have risen from 61 percent to 74 percent, and conversely, those driving over the speed limit have gone down from 39 percent to 26 percent.

“This is a remarkable improvement that shows that more and more drivers are in fact slowing down.” Carlisle said his department and partners Sanral were looking at extending the network to Touwsrivier and the R27.

“Roads are becoming increasingly dangerous, and slowing down is often the difference between life and death,” Carlisle said.

Carlisle responds to red light fiasco

December 6 2012

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Dear Man Friday, When I read your piece “Don’t Cape Town drivers understand the elementary laws of physics?” (Cape Times, November 30) it immediately resonated. Your wishes are not different to mine and JP Smith’s.

Yes – too many Cape Town drivers don’t understand the elementary laws of physics, and go to meet their Maker looking surprised.

We have about 1 000 traffic officers in the province. Many of our units operate 24/7 – so divide by three. Others are in court, on holiday, have the flu.

Between them, they manage, as best they can, over 20 000kms of roads; thousands of intersections; 10 000 minibus taxis; 2 000 buses and 1.2 million other vehicles. Each year, some 1.5 million vehicles are stopped at road blocks or tested at weighbridges. Each year some 200 000 fines are issued.

It’s tough being a traffic officer. Long, unforgiving hours, attending at often horrific accidents and not much tea and sympathy from the road using public.

Man Friday says we should have more men on the beat – JP and I agree, but the contest for available funds is intense.

Also on Man Friday’s wish list is cameras. We have them, but not enough. The Freeway Management System operates a 24-hour total camera coverage of the N1 from the CBD to Huguenot, the N2 from the CBD to Sir Lowry’s Pass and the R300. Some 400kms of our most dangerous roads are now camera monitored for average speed over distance. Two of our most dangerous level crossings are also camera monitored. The ghost squad cars bristle with electronic and camera technology.

But Man Friday is correct, we need more officers, more cameras and much better results from the criminal justice system.

But here’s the thing – with what little we have got, we have achieved an incredible reduction in fatalities. According to my research, no other country or region has brought down its fatality rate faster and more significantly than the Western Cape.

From January 2009 to November 2012 we have reduced fatalities from 1 739 per 12-month period to 1 243 – a reduction of 29 percent. Our fatality statistics are indeed deadly accurate. They are provided by the very efficient forensic services of the provincial Health Department – what the general public would refer to as the mortuary services.

I have enormous admiration for our men and women on the traffic beat – give or take a few rotten apples. They have every reason to be proud of themselves and their remarkable achievements.

That being said, the greatest contribution to safer roads is the interest shown by the media. Every article and interview heightens safety awareness, and when Man Friday enters this field – well, that’s powerful stuff.

Drunken driving has declined significantly in the last three years – we can see that clearly from our roadblock statistics. No question that the media coverage of those roadblocks and of our Shadow Centres played a huge part in changing drink/driving behaviour.

Man Friday should know that we are not complacent. Each year we will add to the road safety armoury.

Finally, there are some road users that will never understand the laws of physics. The only law that they will understand is the one that puts them in prison.

Here again some small progress is being made. Two killer drivers have gone to jail for 20 and eight years respectively. We are awaiting sentencing of the bus driver who rolled off the N1 on the De Doorns heights, as well as the speedster who diced down the M3 killing a young woman on the University bend.

JP and I know that fines and suspended sentences will never stop these killings – only jail will get the message to the drivers with fast cars and small brains.

We hope that what we are doing will put some comfort in Man Friday’s Christmas stocking.

Robin Carlisle

Minister of Transport and

Public Works

Western Cape Government

TEENAGER RECALLS ‘ DRAG RACE’ HORROR

 

Spring Queen contestant tells of ‘last words and hugs’ before M5 tragedy

IT WAS MEANT to be a night of celebration for Rushaan Nero when she made it into the top 20 of the Spring Queen competition, but hours later the teenager lost her grandmother and aunt in a gruesome accident.

PICTURES: CINDY WAXAIN PAIN Four people died and others were injured when a minibus overturned on the M5 on Sunday. From left: Thelma Sias, 54, Caitlin Mattys, 7, Mercia Mattys, 40, and Nicole Nero, 23

The Nero family of Parkwood were left reeling after the tragedy in the early hours of Sunday.

They were returning from the competition when, police allege, two dicing drivers caused the crash on the M5, just before the Kenilworth off-ramp.

Four people died and 12 others were injured. Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Andre Traut said they were still investigating.

Witnesses said a Mercedes-Benz and a Volvo were dicing on the M5 and it appeared they had forced the taxi off the road.

Rushaan, 18, who works for Medac in Diep River, was still wearing the sparkly red dress she wore during the pageant and was excited after being named one of the top 20 finalists.

The family had hired the taxi to go to watch her on stage.

Rushaan’s grandmother Christine Nero, 76, pictured top right, her aunt Diane Marais, 52, bottom right, a cousin’s wife, Annalise Louw, 50, and Louw’s daughter’s boyfriend, Vincent Johnson, 20, were killed instantly.

Marais and the Neros lived in Parkwood and Louw and Johnson in Eersterivier.

With tears welling, Nero said her grandmother and aunt had hugged and congratulated her and Marais had promised to make her a dress for next year’s competition.

“Those were the last words, the last hugs,” she said.

“I saw sparks coming from the wheel and the driver lost control.”

Most of the taxi passengers were flung from the vehicle and Christine landed on the grass next to her granddaughter. Johnson fell on top of Rushaan Nero. They were both dead. Johnson’s girlfriend, Lee-Talia Louw, has a two-month-old baby.

Co-driver Keagan Stewart, 26, was sitting in front of the taxi when he felt it being knocked.

The driver lost control and the taxi rolled, knocking out the windscreen. Stewart jumped out and landed in a ditch before the taxi rolled again. His right collarbone was broken. Stewart said the taxi he had been driving had broken down on the way back from taking the family to the Good Hope Centre. He had arranged for another taxi to collect them and he had acted as co-driver.

“I feel so bad,” he said yesterday. “It is not a nice feeling; I know the family well,” he said.

Rushaan’s mother, Brenda, who was also in the taxi, said they were still coming to terms with the deaths.

“My mother was a wonderful woman and helped wherever she could, my sister was the best sister in the world,” she said. She said she was particularly heartsore for Lee-Talia Louw, who had given birth two months ago.

“She lost her mother and her boyfriend.”

Yesterday most of the family congregated at Christine’s Parkwood home, many wearing bandages, their arms in slings, their faces swollen and scratched.

DRAG RACERS ON M5 LINKED TO CRASH

Four people killed after minibus taxi overturns, police probing dicers’ role

POLICE are investigating the role two drag racers played in the death of four people on the M5 early yesterday.

PICTURE: NIZAAR MARLIEWRECKED Rescue personnel attend to injured people on the M5 in an incident in which four people died

A taxi taking people home from the annual Spring Queen event at the Good Hope Centre, overturned and landed in a ditch. Three women – aged 79, 52 and 50 – and a 29-year-old man died on the scene.

Eleven people, including the driver, were seriously injured.

The three women were a mother and two daughters, all from Parkwood. The police have not released their names.

Traffic Services spokeswoman Maxine Jordan said there were 20 people in the taxi.

The M5 was closed while authorities dealt with the crash. It was reopened just before 3am.

Police spokesman LieutenantColonel André Traut said they had reason to believe the incident was caused by two cars witnesses said were drag racing at the time.

Law enforcement agencies were studying camera footage and Traut said they would do everything in their power to apprehend the culprits.

The SA Clothing and Textile Workers Union (Sactwu), which organises the Spring Queen event, has called on the police to arrest those responsible.

A man who was driving a few hundred metres behind the taxi said two cars came “screaming and weaving through the traffic”.

The man, who did not want to be named, said the two cars were clearly racing: “They were weaving through the traffic at a high speed. When I stopped at the accident, one of the dicing cars had stopped, but then drove off.”

Posting on a traffic site on Facebook, Nurjehan Perin said she and her boyfriend were on the M5 and saw the two cars, a silver Mercedes-Benz and a black and silver Volvo.

She said they pulled off the road, and the two speedsters raced on.

Speaking to the Cape Argus yesterday, Perin said it had been an extremely traumatic experience. She had seen the two cars in the rear-view mirror. She said they were speeding and moving from lane to lane.

The speeding cars passed the car she was in. The taxi, which was ahead of them, was not speeding, she said. As they were approaching a bend she saw the taxi overturn. People were flung from the vehicle.

Her boyfriend, Charl Krieger, a fireman, pulled over, called emergency services and helped as best he could, she said. Other motorists also stopped to help.

The incident happened just after 1am near the Kenilworth exit. It appeared that the driver lost control of the taxi and it overturned, landing in a ditch.

Traut said police had opened a culpable homicide investigation: “We have reason to believe that it was caused by two motor vehicles which were driving at excessively high speeds, and were possibly dicing at the time. No one has been arrested as yet.”

Nazmia Leite, a spokeswoman for Sactwu, said they were saddened by the loss of life: “We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased, wish the injured a speedy recovery and call for the dicers to be brought to justice as speedily as possible.”

Alida Jones of the Drive More Safely organisation said more than 55 people were killed on South African roads every day. Yesterday was World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, Jones said.

The Hulk

THE HIGHWAY Ghost Squad has recorded just under 2 000 offences on the city’s major roads in just five weeks.

PICTURE: THOMAS HOLDERMONSTER TRUCK The new traffic police control station, the Hulk, as well as the Ghost Squad unit made their debut at a roadblock on the M5 yesterday

It started operating in October and has already issued 1 972 fines on roads including the N2, N1, R300 and M5.

In just one week last month, more than 700 offences were recorded.

Focus areas of the new unit will include the R300 between the N1 and Vanguard Drive and the M5 between the N1’s Koeberg Interchange and Sunrise Circle.

The M3 between Jutland Avenue and Steenberg Road will be another focus area, as well as the N2 from Sir Lowry’s Pass to Hospital Bend, including Nelson Mandela Boulevard.

The city yesterday officially launched the Highway Ghost Squad as well as the traffic service’s new 26-wheel vehicle, the “Hulk”.

JP Smith, mayoral committee member for safety and security, said there had been an increase in the number of motorists on the roads. In turn there were more traffic offences.

Maxine Jordaan, head of the Highway Ghost Squad, said motorists driving in the N2’s bus lane and failing to wear seatbelts were some of the biggest problems on highways.

She said people driving over the barrier lines was another common offence.

There were 477 bus lane offences, 254 fines for people not wearing seatbelts, and 229 motorists were caught without driving licences.

Smith said officers found around 30 000 unlicenced drivers on city roads every month.

At yesterday’s launch along the M5, motorists were pulled over so that officers could check driving licences and whether vehicles were roadworthy. Several drivers with outstanding warrants were also nabbed.

One of these, an Athlone man, was arrested. He had five arrest warrants worth over R4 000 to his name.

The new “Hulk” vehicle will soon be processing cases like this. It is fitted with computer systems which link to the eNaTIS database. This means it will be able to check the validity of driving licences and process warrants.

Smith said there would also be a nurse on board for blood tests in drunk-driving cases. It was donated to the city and will be used at roadblocks and in special operations.

KEEPING OUR ROADS CYCLIST-FRIENDLY

• Bronwynne Jooste  METRO WRITER  bronwynne.jooste@inl.co.za

Local government determined to make travel in city accessible to non-motorists ROAD rules for Cape Town cyclists – such as travelling in single file, wearing helmets and stopping at red traffic signals – are seen as restrictive to getting more people on their bikes.

PICTURE: DAVID RITCHIE   MAKING WAY A  track for joggers, cyclists, prams, wheelchairs, etc, is being built along the perimeter of Rondebosch Common

These are some of the patterns from other countries that have large numbers of cyclists, and was some of the information heard at a presentation on cycling safety yesterday.

Brett Herron, mayoral committee member for transport, roads and stormwater, Transport and Public Works MEC Robin Carlisle Finance, Tourism and Economic Development MEC Alan Winde were some of the speakers.

Sport and Recreation MEC Ivan Meyer also spoke at the event and urged Herron to draft five cycling measures which Meyer would include in his next budget allocation.

This year the city will spend R124 million on non-motorised transport. One of the city’s priorities is linking non-motorised transport routes to public transport.

A key theme was getting more cyclists on the road and changing the attitudes of both cyclists and motorists.

Gail Jennings, a non-motorised transport consultant, spoke on the findings of research commissioned by the national Department of Environmental Affairs. She said increasing number of cyclists on the road was linked to a direct improvement in safety for cyclists.

In countries with many cyclists, helmets were not mandatory. And only “anecdotal” evidence showed that helmets saved lives. According to the research, cyclists stopping at red traffic signals, yield signs and stop signs were also not necessary.

Jennings said it was shown that neither motorists nor cyclists benefited from this practice.

“Everyone knows that you [as a cyclist] will not go over a red light if it’s dangerous.”

Carlisle, however, said the cyclists were “by and large the most undisciplined road users”.

He added that his department’s move to ensure that motorists must be 1.5m away from a cyclist to pass them would add to the “edge” between motorists and cyclists.

“This rule is part of the process of people learning to respect each other,” said Carlisle.

The relationship between the two groups of road users was critical to more people using bikes to travel.

Herron said part of the city’s cycle safety plan would include more signage to alert motorist to areas with high volumes of cyclists.

The city would also start identifying “black spots” where there were high accident rates. He said the city was conducting surveys to measure areas with the highest number of cyclists as well as their peak travelling times.

The provincial government backed the push for cycling. Meyer suggested incentives such as free parking for cyclists and more expensive parking for motorists. Winde added that the CTICC’s planned extension would have 180 bays for cyclists.

Andrew Wheeldon, from the Bicycle Empowerment Network , said he had spoken with cyclists on their biggest problem areas. This included Boyes Drive, Ou Kaapseweg, Constantia Nek and De Waal Drive.

He said cyclists allowed more people access to mobility, adding that the “most powerful incentive” to increase cyclist numbers was to make the roads safer.

City Traffic Officers arrest 79 suspects, recover a stolen motorcycle and issue over 2 000 traffic fines

 

City of Cape Town Traffic Officers arrested 79 suspects, recovered a stolen motorcycle and issued over 2 000 traffic fines in city-wide operations this past week.

On Monday morning, 12 November 2012, City Traffic Services Ghost Squad Unit conducted an operation focusing on serious moving violations along Wetton Road in Wynberg. The officers arrested one minibus taxi driver for drunk driving who had 10 outstanding warrants of arrest amounting to R8 750,00 after he failed to stop when indicated to do so.

In addition, officers issued 56 traffic fines.

Roadblocks were also conducted at the following locations over the weekend, resulting in the following arrests:

Sunday 11 November 2012:

• Lansdowne Road, Khayelitsha: 30 drunk drivers (with the highest breathalyser test registering at 1,25mg of alcohol per 1 000ml of breath); and one suspect was arrested for escaping from custody. In addition officers issued 120 traffic-related fines

Friday 9 November 2012:

• Spine Road, Khayelitsha: 28 drunk drivers (with the highest breathalyser test registering at 1,42mg of alcohol per 1 000ml of breath ). In addition officers issued 28 traffic-related fines.
• Bosmansdam Road, Bothasig: 17 drunk drivers (with the highest breathalyser test registering at 1,37mg of alcohol per 1 000ml of breath).

Later that evening, officers arrested two motorists for excessive speeding and drunk driving on Plattekloof Road. One suspect was caught driving at 154km/h in a 70km/h zone. Officers gave chase and apprehended the suspect at Plattekloof and the N1. The driver was tested for drunken driving and recorded a breathalyser reading of 0,94mg of alcohol per 1 000ml of breath. The other suspect was caught driving at 131km/h in a 70km/h zone. In addition, officers issued 37 traffic-related fines.

The following speeding offences were recorded:

• 114 offences on Plattekloof Road, between Gert Van Rooyen and Bosmansdam Extension (highest speed was 154km/h)
• 51 offences on Bosmansdam Avenue, between Wieland and Giel Basson Drive (highest speed was 118km/h)

During the late afternoon peak on Thursday 8 November 2012 , officers conducted an operation along Hospital Bend as part of their ongoing enforcement plan. The operation focused on serious moving violations such as disregarding the channelising lines, overtaking on the left shoulder, and using a cellphone whilst driving.

Officers issued 1 290 traffic fines, including:

• 18 cellphones were impounded
• 274 for disobeying the channelising lines
• 28 for failure to wear safety belts
• 27 for unlicensed drivers
• 20 for unlicensed motor vehicles
• 175 speeding offences on Nelson Mandela Boulevard, between Roodebloem and Melbourne Road
• 552 speeding offences on Settlers Way, between Raapenberg and Jan Smuts
• 133 speeding offences on Table Bay Boulevard, between Lower Church and Christiaan Barnard (highest speed was 133km/h)

Later that evening, officers patrolled Prince George Drive in Grassy Park – a well-known illegal drag-racing hotspot – from 20:00 to midnight. They intercepted would-be drag-racers before they could race and suspended four vehicles for mechanical defects. In addition, officers issued 83 other traffic-related fines for unlicensed drivers, unlicensed motor vehicles and vehicle defects.

The following speeding offences were recorded:

• 101 offences on Racecourse Road, between Chukker and Lansdowne Road (highest speed was 121km/h)
• 87 offences on Vanguard Drive, between Turfhall and Klipfontein Road
• 72 offences on Jan Smuts Drive, between Lawson and Kromboom Road (highest speed was 114km/h)

Also on Thursday 8 November 2012, during a roadblock along Sir Lowry Road in Cape Town, officers were alerted by a member of the public to a suspicious person pushing a motorcycle under the bridge at the corner of Rudger and Strand Street. Upon investigation, officers found an unattended red Suzuki TL 1 000cc motorcycle and the ignition appeared to have been tampered with. After checking the E-Natis system, the motorcycle was reported as being stolen earlier that day at the Good Hope Centre in Sir Lowry Road. The matter was then handed over to the South African Police Services in Cape Town who contacted and informed the owner of the recovery of the motorcycle.

'Traffic boss comes to work drunk'

 

NOV 13, 2012 | BOITUMELO TSHEHLE, NORTH WEST CORRESPONDENT |

'These people are being nasty because I am Ndebele and a woman'

CAUGHT OUT: Bapong traffic station boss Monica Madiba is seen wearing slippers with her uniform during office hours.

She says she wears morning slippers with her uniform because her office does not have a heater

EMPLOYEES at Bapong weighbridge traffic station in North West claim their station commander comes to work drunk and not in full uniform.

She has since been transferred to another station.

Monica Madiba is also accused of giving her boyfriend and colleague, James Mnguni, special treatment.

Angry employees who did not want their names disclosed for fear of reprisals said they were demoralised and tired of their boss's behaviour.

They say she is a bully and threatens to fire them every time they raise their concerns. The employees say they have since called on MEC for human settlements and public safety Nono Maloyi to intervene.

Madiba is also accused of claiming travel allowances while using her lover's car.

Workers claim her boyfriend uses a government car without authorisation, and that most of the time he uses it for private errands. They say even if he comes late to work - most of the time drunk - he is not subjected to disciplinary action.

But Madiba says the complainants are targeting her because she is not a Setswana-speaking person and that she is a woman. She says the employees call her lenyasa (a person who is very dark in complexion).

Madiba says she is a workaholic, and puts her work first - but that her staff members do not like that.

She disputes that she and her boyfriend come to work drunk. "I would never do that, and my boyfriend does not even drink alcohol, these people are being nasty because I am Ndebele and I come from Johannesburg.

"They told me that this is a Tswana province and that they want to be managed by a Motswana," she said.

She says she wears morning slippers with her uniform because her office does not have an air conditioner or heater.

"It's very cold in winter. One day I had to run and stop a traffic officer who wanted to drive away with a state vehicle without my authorisation, so they took pictures of me wearing slippers with my uniform."

Madiba says one of the complaining subordinates owns a fleet of taxis and got angry when she told him that it was a conflict of interest.

She says she raised the issue with the North West department of public safety and the labour department, but nothing has been done.

Madiba said she has been treated several times for depression because of the treatment she gets from her staff members. She said they wanted one of the employees, Pule Moeketsi, to be their station commander.

She says Moeketsi scored higher than her in 2008 when they were contesting for her position. "He had a higher score than me, but a female person was required for the post and I got the position because I was second best."

Spokesman at the department of public safety Simon Mmope said: "The MEC has already finalised the matter and we hope that we will reach an amicable solution."

Madiba said late yesterday that she has been told to report at the Brits station.

"I got a letter that says I am being transferred."

Smashes mostly happen on weekday afternoons

 

THE MAJORITY of the collisions on Cape Town’s roads happen on weekday afternoons and private motorists are the biggest culprits.

City traffic services yesterday provided an analysis of the five high-incident locations. These are Rosmead Avenue and Wetton Road in Wynberg; the R300 and Stock Road in Philippi; Stellenbosch Arterial and Belhar Drive in Belhar; the R300 and Stellenbosch Arterial in Delft and the N7 and Potsdam Road in Dunoon.

In the 2011/12 financial year, there were more than 600 crashes at these spots. Between May and July there were 243 collisions there.

Andre Nel, the deputy chief of traffic services, tabled the information before the city’s safety and security portfolio committee.

Nel said traffic services had increased enforcement and officer visibility in some areas and officers had made recommendations on possible engineering changes. The figures are based on road incident reports from local police stations.

In Wynberg, most of the collisions took place on Mondays and Thursdays. The peak time was between 12pm and 6pm.

“This could be because there are a rush of people moving towards this intersection at that time.”

To help alleviate the problem, trees blocking motorists’ views at the intersection had been cut back.

The situation was similar in Philippi, where incidents were more likely to happen on Mondays and Tuesdays. Most took place from 6am to 8.30am.

Motorists side-swiping or rear-ending one another were the most common types of smashes.

Mondays were also the most dangerous days in Belhar, with the most incidents taking place between 8.30am and 4.30pm.

In response to the collision rate at Stellenbosch Arterial and Belhar Drive, a speed camera was installed.

At the Delft intersection, the bulk of the incidents took place on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Nel said officers had also noted a increase in the number of arrests for driving under the influence on Sundays.

In Du Noon, Mondays were the most problematic days. Incidents peaked between 8.30am and 4.30pm.

Nel said the analysis “dispelled the myth” that taxis were involved in the most crashes: “Minibus taxis are not the worst culprits; sedans are the most problematic vehicles on the road.”

Incredible Hulk on patrol

CAPE Town traffic services plans to officially launch its multi-million rand “Hulk” vehicle, a mobile command centre which will operate across the city, in the next two weeks.

PICTURES: THOMAS HOLDERHI-TECH Senior traffic officer Philip Weber inside the 32-wheel Hulk, a new, state-of-the-art, mobile command centre

The truck, which was donated to the city by a technological firm and was previously used by the city’s IT department, is expected to start operating in time for the festive season.

The R3-million 32-wheeler truck will process warrants and be linked to the e-Natis system.

JP Smith, the mayoral committee member for safety and security, said the vehicle would essentially be a mobile traffic centre.

Officers would be able to breathalyse motorists and check whether drivers’ licences were valid. Smith said “the Hulk” would move around to traffic hotspots and to areas where there were high volumes of traffic on certain days, like the beach on summery days.

“Management will also be able to go along and be conscious of the problems,” Smith said.

Apart from enforcement, people would also be able to write learners’ licence tests in the vehicle.

Smith said this would be ideal for areas where there were no testing centres or where existing centres were dealing with heavy caseloads.

He explained that if a traffic centre were to go offline for any reason, “the Hulk” would be able to move and offer all the requisite services to motorists.

He added the vehicle was still in its “developmental phase” but said that it would soon be able to offer more services, for instance, the city’s hi-tech spy-cars would be able to link up with the truck, augmenting the ability for number-plate recognition.

This was just one of the measures traffic services planned to implement on Cape Town’s roads this festive season.

Also due to come into action was the Ghost Squad’s Highway Unit, which would patrol the busy N2 and R300 freeways. It would be headed by city traffic inspector and spokeswoman, Maxine Jordaan.

In addition to the hi-tech cars the Ghost Squad currently uses, Smith said a range of “superbikes” would make up this unit.

CITY SILENT ON MAYOR’S SPOUSE

 

De Lille yet to answer questions on husband’s driving charges

‘THE LAW MUST TAKE ITS COURSE… WE MUST RESPECT THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE COURTS’

QUESTIONS have arisen about Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille’s personal role in official reports on the arrest of a motorist, her husband – despite a strong possible conflict of interest.

PICTURE: JASON BOUDHOT WATER Patricia de Lille’s husband has been arrested for reckless and negligent driving

Her husband, Edwin, was arrested on Friday for reckless and negligent driving.

Soon after his arrest in Pinelands, De Lille told the Weekend Argus her husband had had a stroke.

It is understood that this served as an explanation as to why he may have been driving in a manner which led to his arrest.

More significantly, since the arrest, city officials have refused to comment. The Cape Argus yesterday submitted formal questions to Kylie Hatton, the city’s manager of media in the new Integrated Strategic Communication and Branding Department; to Paul Boughey, head of the office of the mayor; and to Solly Malatsi, De Lille’s official spokesman.

The following questions were asked:

What led to the arrest of the mayor’s husband?

What action has the city taken against the motorist?

Will the city’s actions be free of any actual or perceived interference or pressure on officials involved?

Is the city happy that due process has been followed, strictly “by the book”, thus far?

Will the city’s electronic surveillance resources be utilised in prosecuting the motorist (ie, the city’s freeway camera system)?

In response, Hatton referred the questions to Malatsi, who quoted De Lille in reply. She refused to answer the questions, instead saying: “I thank the police for stopping him under that health condition and the law must take its course. All evidence about his health condition will be put before the court and we must respect the independence of the courts.”

Not only did De Lille refuse to answer the questions formally submitted by the Cape Argus, but she refused to explain why the city’s administration had either refused or been ordered not to answer the questions, as is routine.

Normally, on matters pertaining to roads, direct comment is made either by mayoral committee member for safety and security JP Smith or the executive director of safety and security Richard Bosman.

A personal comment from the mayor regarding a traffic violation – in this case involving her own spouse – is unprecedented.

De Lille and the city’s administration were also requested to give an assurance to the public that the matter would be dealt with without fear or favour.

This question was asked because while it will now be for the police to investigate and the courts to adjudicate, it will still be City of Cape Town employees who will carry the burden of testifying, or submitting evidence based on what they witnessed leading up to the arrest.

But there was no response to this request from the city or De Lille.

A source in Cape Town with intimate knowledge of the workings of the city’s administration said De Lille’s actions were “outrageous” for at least four reasons. First, because it was highly irregular for the mayor to comment on traffic violations, as opposed to the usual city officials or the politician who heads that department.

Second, that it was “discourteous and plain wrong” for the mayor, having taken on the communications on the matter herself, to refuse to answer the Cape Argus’s questions.

Third, that it was deeply inappropriate for De Lille to be answering questions pertaining to charges against her own husband.

And fourth, that it was disingenuous for De Lille to claim that it was in the hands of the courts when she would know full well that any case would rely heavily on the co-operation of city officers.

The source said: “This is ‘spin city’ gone mad. It’s outrageous.”

The “spin city” allegation pertains to recent moves within the administration to put communications in the hands of politicians instead of politically neutral officials, as reported in the Cape Argus earlier this year.

111 ROAD SMASHES IN JUST 10 MONTHS

THERE were at least 111 crashes on Ou Kaapseweg in the 10-month period between mid-December and the middle of this month – and these figures do not include that of a cyclist seriously injured in a hit-and-run incident this week.

PICTURES: DAVID RITCHIETOLL TAKEN A cross marks the spot where a person had died in a fatal accident near the top of Ou Kaapseweg

The statistics were provided by the City of Cape Town in response to a request by the Cape Argus, and come as residents and ratepayers are demanding answers on why measures recommended over the past decade to reduce major traffic snarl-ups and many crashes on the now severelycongested drive have been ignored – a charge disputed by the city.

Traffic congestion on Ou Kaapseweg has increased significantly in recent years, and become particularly acute in the past two months, because of the rehabilitation of Main Road between Muizenberg and Clovelly.

The city’s statistics reveal that there were no fatalities but two serious injuries in the 111 recorded incidents, and that nine people were slightly injured.

In a single black five-day period at the end of September/beginning of October, there were nine incidents – including three on one of those five days.

The most recent fatalities on Ou Kaapseweg occurred in June last year when two people died in a crash, and in November two bikers were severely injured in a head-on collision with a truck.

While most of the incidents reported in the city’s statistics involved ordinary cars, other vehicles included light delivery vans (one incident involved three of these vehicles), panel vans, a heavy vehicle weighing more than 3.5 tons, minibuses and an articulated truck, while pedestrians, a motorcyclist, a cyclist and “fixed objects” were also cited.

The incidents occurred both on Ou Kaapseweg itself and at the intersections with Steenberg Road, Silvermine Road, The Bend, Kommetjie Road, “Four ways” (Kommetjie Road), Buller Louw Drive, Noordhoek Road, Westlake Drive and Frigate Road.

A group of seven civic organisations from the “Far South” of the Peninsula, the body corporate of the Steenberg office park and the Home Owners’ Association of the adjoining Silvertree Estate at the northern end of Ou Kaapseweg, are now collectively tackling the city about problems on the drive.

They are pointing to remedial and safety measures proposed in three separate reports between 2002 and 2009 that include eight passing lanes – three in the south-bound and five in the north-bound lanes on Ou Kaapseweg – as well as an arrester bed at its intersection with Steenberg Road at its northern end, and several improvements at the intersection with Silvermine Road where there were 50 incidents in a six-year period between 2003 and 2008.

In one of their two legal letters requesting an urgent meeting to discuss the problems and possible shortterm improvements to the route, the city stands accused of doing “precisely nothing” to resolve the problems, but this is denied by Brett Herron, mayoral committee member for transport, roads and stormwater.

By yesterday, the civics and the two associations had still not managed to secure a date with the city.

According to the minutes of a community meeting in Fish Hoek last year to discuss speed control on Kommetjie Road, principal traffic inspector for the South Peninsula Mark Harding revealed that there were just 12 traffic officers for the entire area from Grassy Park and Retreat southwards – six per shift.

Asked by Janet Holwill, chairwoman of the Fish Hoek Valley Residents’ and Ratepayer’ Association, what the key factor was to stop fatalities, he replied “visible law enforcement actions”, the minutes state.

Taxi operators march against ban

October 31 2012 at 10:58am

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INLSA

MEC STILL WORRIED: Bellville Taxi Association taxis blocked traffic while on their way to the protest in front of the traffic departments shadow testing centre.

Photo: Courtney Africa

Xolani Koyana

IN an attempt to have a ban on their operating licences lifted, taxi operators marched to the provincial registrar’s office yesterday.

But this is unlikely to happen after Transport and Public Works MEC Robin Carlisle said he was still not convinced taxi violence had abated.

Members of the Bellville Taxi Association caused congestion on the N2 and Vanguard Drive as about 70 taxis made their way to the provincial traffic department’s shadow testing centre in Athlone.

The association is demanding that provincial transport registrar, Mark Skriker, lift a freeze on the renewal of and processing of new operating licences.

Operators had driven from the Bellville taxi rank into Modderdam Road, and on to the N2 before entering Vanguard Drive.

A group of about 50 operators, with placards in hand, marched in front of the procession.

The police’s riot squad and tactical response unit, and metro police were on hand.

Police refused them permission to walk on the road before one protester was detained in a police van for “walking on the N2”. He was later released.

Infighting within the association, that has led to the deaths of four people, has forced Carlisle to bar the association from obtaining new or renewing licences.

Affected routes include Bell-ville, Durbanville, Bloekombos and Wallacedene.

A number of operators have also been injured and an apparent hitlist, naming 17 taxi operators to be killed, has come to light.

Yesterday, after the association’s leadership convened a meeting with Skriker, he told them to consider their demands.

The association’s acting chairman, Justice Ngubo, said Skriker had agreed to a meeting with them today to iron out issues.

Ngubo said the ban had forced some to operate illegally.

“We become victims of traffic officers because members are arrested and their vehicles impounded,” he said.

“Many of our members lose money because they can’t do long-distance trips, because their permits have been withheld by the registrar.

“We told the registrar and the MEC about the people who were involved in the violence, but they never acted against them. The violence is now over but there is still a suspension against us.”

Carlisle said they would respond to the memorandum within 48 hours, but it was unlikely that the suspension would be lifted.

“The situation has improved significantly but I’m still not satisfied. There are still things that are worrying us,” Carlisle said.

xolani.koyana@inl.co.za