Spearheaded by the Gauteng Department of Community Safety, the festive season road and community safety campaign is off to a good start.
On Friday alone 8 un-registered and un-roadworthy PUTCO busses were impounded and or refused permission to continue operating. 16 more PUTCO busses were impounded whilst another 8 were immediately discontinued, i.e. not allowed to be driven on public roads, including on the now infamous Moloto Road this morning. The 12 busses were discontinued for failing roadworthy tests. A taxi driver and another driving a private vehicle were immediately arrested for reckless driving. These arrests, impoundment and bus discontinuation occurred only on the Moloto Road operations.
On a different operation, 65 taxis were inspected on at the Thokoza taxi rank alone on Friday. 8 taxis were found to be in breach of various taxi operating conditions, including operating a public passenger vehicle that has dysfunctional breaking system, being unlicensed and or being driven by drivers who do not have the required professional public driving permits.
At the same time, over 30 road-blocks have been conducted since Friday, 11 December 2009. The roadblocks also yielded positive results as 22 vehicles, stolen and or suspected of being stolen, were seized. Suspected stolen copper wire was also retrieved and 69 people were arrested. In two other road-block operation, 17 vehicles owners with worn vehicle tyres were summoned, 17 arrested for driving without driving licences, nine for driving vehicles with defective lights and 16 for driving public passengers vehicles without the required professional public driving permit.
More taverns were also visited since the start of the Gauteng provincial Christmas safety campaign which kick-started by Premier Nomvula Mokonyane on 8 December 2009. Visitation of taverns is aimed at promoting responsible operating practices by tavern owners. Responsible practices include shutting down of taverns operating without permits and encouraging others to operate within reasonable hours that do not grossly inconvenience the immediate neighbourhood.
The festive season road and community safety campaign is set to intensify with more, intensified and extended roadblocks. The road safety aspect of the campaign will focus mainly on vehicle and driver fitness, with drunk-driving courting immediate arrest. The community safety aspect of the campaign will also focus on pedestrian and neighbourhood safety were Community Policing Forums, Community Patrollers and Youth Desks, working hand-in-glove with the South African Police Services (SAPS), are expected to play important roles. Gauteng MEC for Community Safety is expected to participate in some of the planned festive season safety programmes.
Media contact person:
Sizwe Matshikiza
Tel: 011 689 3633
Cell: 071 851 2369
Issued by: Department of Community Safety, Gauteng Provincial Government
14 December 2009
Source: Department of Community Safety, Gauteng Provincial Government (http://www.gautsafety.gpg.gov.za/)
