Thirty-two vehicles imported into the country by South Africans from neighbouring countries without payment of levies, custom duties and Valued Added Tax (Vat) were impounded around Mafikeng during a Special Operation by North West Public Safety Traffic authorities dubbed Operation Enough is Enough on Tuesday.
According to North West MEC for Public Safety, Howard Yawa, the objective of the joint operation supported by the South African Revenue Service (SARS) Custom Unit is to protect the local economy particularly the motor industry and curb illegal transportation of passengers and goods.
“The operation will be extended throughout our province to clamp down on the illegal importation of foreign vehicles which bleeds our economy and endangers the lives of many road users as most vehicles do not meet safety standards as determined by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS)” says MEC Yawa.
The Provincial Public Safety Department had observed a proliferation of the vehicle mostly from neighbouring Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland and their use in illegal transportation of passengers and goods by spaza shops owned by foreign nations.
Motorists whose vehicles were impounded were fined R1 500 and given seven days to exports the vehicles out of the country. Vehicles which are not exported within the period will be seized by South African Revenue Service (SARS) Customs Unit and either auctioned and or crashed.
MEC Yawa has warned locals against using foreign vehicles as passenger and goods transport as they are not covered in third party insurance and Road Accident Fund in event of accident. Meanwhile, forty motorists were arrested around Rustenburg and Brits over the past two days by the elite North West Public Safety traffic enforcement unit nicknamed aws during a special operation to execute warrants for unpaid traffic fines Road traffic law enforcement operations in the province are being intensified as part of the National Rolling Enforcement Plan.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Tel: 018 381 9171
Cell: 083 629 1987
Fax: 018 381 9123
E-mail: Lkgwele@nwpg.gov.za
