Johannesburg - Pay up, or it’s to the lock up. This is the zero-tolerance stance that the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) will be adopting as the festive season gets into full swing.
If you get behind the wheel of your car, you are advised to make sure you have no outstanding fines or you could spend Christmas and New Year behind bars.
And there will be no begging, crying or bribing. Motorists with outstanding fines, who are caught at roadblocks will not be able to leave until all their fines are paid or they’ll go to jail. And JMPD officers are going to be out in full force and everywhere.
JMPD said it’s beefing up operations over the festive season to not only curb drunk driving, but also fight crime, which is expected to rise over the Christmas season. These operations will include 22 point roadside checks, a series of roadblocks that will be held simultaneously throughout the city.
JMPD spokesperson, Xolani Fihla said there will also be smart roadblocks where JMPD officers are able to nab motorists with outstanding traffic fines and force them to pay up.
“We are using an automated number plate recognition vehicle which picks up unpaid fines, cloned number plates and stolen vehicles. Motorists who are stopped because of unpaid fines will have the option to pay their fines at the roadblock,” said Fihla.
Meanwhile, Gauteng Traffic Police have also urged drivers to make road safety a priority over the festive season. They’ve particularly called on public transport operators to prioritise the safety of road users this festive season. This follows several accidents which were reported during the second week of December. Traffic volumes are also expected to increase on Gauteng’s major roads as more people travel to their various destinations to spend time with their families.
Gauteng Traffic Police will embark on various law enforcement operations in the province, which include pedestrian operations, drunk driving operations, visible patrolling, K78 roadblocks (Approved by the National Police Commissioner and which are mostly used to catch a specific vehicle that has been connected to a major crime), driver and vehicle fitness operations, speed law enforcement operations, reckless and negligent driving operations and Incident management, among others.
Gauteng Traffic Police spokesperson, Sello Maremane, said through its Road Safety Unit, they have also undertaken several road safety awareness campaigns as part of the Safer Festive Season campaign. These activities are aimed at clamping down on those who disregard the rules of the road.
“Our observation is that a lot of accidents occur as a result of non-compliance with the rules of the road. Gauteng Traffic Police call upon drivers, especially public transport operators, to exercise caution by obeying the rules and regulations of the road during this heightened festive season period,” he said.
Gauteng Traffic Police will also patrol freeways as part of visible policing to ensure that there is no jay-walking and that drivers adhere to the prescribed speed limits.
“Taverns, shebeens, and other liquor-selling places will also be monitored closely to ensure that drunk drivers are removed from our public roads. There will be no room for lawlessness during the festive season,” Maremane cautioned.
The Department of Community Safety will complement law enforcement initiatives this festive season by deploying community patrollers at identified public transport hubs to provide help and support to the general travelling public to ensure their safety.