Officials rack up traffic fines of R1m

The Eastern Cape government has more than R1m in outstanding traffic fines for state owned vehicles.

Provincial transport MEC Weziwe Tikana revealed this in a written reply to DA member of the provincial legislature Marshall von Buchenroder on November 8.

The fines, from April 2016 to the start of November 2018, totalled R1.14m.

The total for 2016/2017 was R394‚050‚ for 2017/2018 it was R406‚737, and R339‚900 in 2018/2019.

On September 30 2018, the provincial government had 3‚154 operational vehicles.

Tikana said traffic officers could often not identify the drivers of the cars so fines would then be issued to the Government Fleet Management Services, which would try to establish who the drivers were.

“Fines are the responsibility of the drivers and as such when fines are paid by [fleet management]‚ departments are then invoiced for them to claim from the responsible driver,” Tikana said.

The Government Fleet Management Services also owes the Road Traffic Management Agency R39‚993 for infringements that had been cleared in the electronic national administration traffic information system (eNaTIS).

Von Buchenroder said he considered the fines fruitless and wasteful expenditure, which “shows complete disregard for law and order”.

“With department budgets under pressure‚ this wasteful expenditure is irresponsible and an additional expense the province should not be footing at this time.” - TimesLIVE