13 December 2006
Pretoria - The Department of Transport through its Arrive Alive Rolling
Enforcement Plan has seen 44 buses impounded due to unroadworthiness ahead of
one of the busiest weekends. This comes amid a stop and check campaign of 119
busses for vehicle roadworthiness countrywide. The main focus is on long
distance buses and taxis as we expect a big rush and mass exodus this coming
weekend. Real work has begun in earnest with more vigour.
Preliminary results are as follows:
* Mpumalanga: 19 buses stopped and eight found to be unroadworthy with
defects such as brake failure, oil leaks and defective steering mechanism.
Fines to the value of R12 000 were issued.
* North West: 21 stopped and four found unroadworthy.
* Limpopo: 13 stopped and seven failed the checks (some doing cross border
operations.
* Gauteng: 22 stopped and 12 failed the checks.
* Northern Cape: six buses stopped and one found to be unroadworthy.
* Free State: six stopped and two found to be unroadworthy.
* Eastern Cape: 15 stopped and seven found to be unroadworthy.
* Western Cape: 13 stopped and two found unroadworthy.
* KwaZulu-Natal: four stopped and one failed the checks.
Traffic authorities are running a focused and targeted enforcement
programme; these include doing checks to determine roadworthiness. Buses are
being taken off the road to the nearest vehicle testing stations. At the
testing stations they go through rigorous checks for among others:
* defects on brakes
* defects on steering mechanism
* worn out/smooth tyres
* oil leaks
* lights, indicators and wipers.
Unroadworthy vehicles are impounded, suspended (removal of licence disc) and
issued with a spot fine. For the inconvenience to passengers, bus operators
have to send replacement transport at their cost. The safety of passengers is
the "Arrive Alive campaign's" major concern.
These operations also include enforcement on taxis with about 80 checked and
30 of them failing the checks. Defective vehicles especially passenger vehicles
kill many people. Traffic authorities will continue to issue heavy fines.
Motorists must make sure their vehicles are roadworthy or face the full might
of the law.
Contact:
Collen Msibi
Cell: 082 414 5279
Ntau Letebele
Cell: 082 923 9194
Thabo Tsholetsane
Cell: 082 496 5354
Issued by: Department of Transport
13 December 2006
Source: SAPA
