TRAILER HELPS ROADBLOCKS

Trailer helps traffic unit police motorists

By Tabisa Mntengwana
14 July 2009

ROADBLOCKS over the winter school holidays have sent out a strong message that Buffalo City’s traffic and law enforcement unit will not be lenient when it comes to breaking the rules of the road.

These roadblocks have been helped by the K78 trailer given to the municipality earlier this year by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RMTC), as a reward for its good service.

The trailer has 50 cones, a generator, four blue lights, roadblock signs and reflective material on all sides.

“Since the trailer has been here, our job has been easier; it’s been a great help,” said the traffic and law enforcement commander, Bernie Martin. “The City has been recognised by the RTMC as one of the outstanding municipalities in recovering outstanding fines and enforcing motorists to pay their fines and warrants.”

Various law enforcement agencies, including the South African Police Service, have been part of the roadblocks, which have been set up on a number of main routes in the city.

They are held in an effort to minimise warrants of arrest and to recover the R8-million owed by motorists in outstanding fines. “This is an indication of motorists not paying fines, which increases the lawlessness on our roads. The roadblocks are held to enshrine a culture of law abiding motorists in Buffalo City,” said Martin.

The operation had a multi-dimensional approach, with motorists being checked for warrants of arrest in various ways, including eNatis transactions, top offender tracing and routine vehicle stops, he explained.

Martin urged motorists to check regularly whether there were outstanding fines in their names “because during these roadblocks we will not be lenient to anyone, be they family or municipal employees”.

The RMTC was established in 2005 to train traffic personnel; issue road traffic information; investigate and record accidents; conduct infrastructure safety audits; and to raise road and traffic awareness. It also investigates traffic offences, testing and licensing of drivers, vehicle registration and vehicle roadworthiness testing.