North West MEC for Human Settlements, Public Safety & Liaison, Desbo Mohono says that Provincial Road Traffic Management authorities are part of the special public transport operations focusing on load management in order to reduce accidents on public roads.
MEC Mohono’ s assurance follows the arrest of a driver for gross overloading on the N4 Bakwena Platinum Highway outside Brits in the North West Province on Sunday afternoon.
The motorist was driving a Toyota Hilux single cab bakkie that was pulling a trailer when he was directed to Bapong weighbridge by members of the Road Traffic Management Unit based in Bojanala Platinum District.
Upon being weighed, the driving axle of the bakkie which is allowed 1 670 kg weighed was found to be overloaded by 231, 7% as it weighed 5 540 kg. Its Gross Combination Mass which is a allowed 3 360 kg was found to be overloaded by 6100kg as it weighed 9 460 kg.
The vehicle with six occupants, four adult males, two of whom were with the heavy laden goods on the trailer and two children aged 10 and 2 was unsafe to be on a public road as it practically had no steering the undermass on its steering was 280,6kg under as it weighed 760 kg instead of the permissible 1 040,6 kg. Its homebuilt trailer also had no brakes and its tyres were deflating under its heavy load even as the vehicle was being weighed at the weighbridge.
The 38 year-old motorist, Andrew Ndlovu was arrested on the spot. Ndlovu was granted R 1000,00 bail at Marikana Police Station and is expected to appear in court on the 10 October 2011.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Tel: 018 391 0420
Fax: 018 381 0328
Cell: 083 629 1987
E-mail: Lkgwele@nwpg.gov.za
