The statistics on collisions and fatalities on Cape Town’s roads remain alarmingly high. The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus), therefore, welcomes the amendments to the traffic by-laws that were approved at a recent City of Cape Town council meeting.
According to a SANRAL report, between 700 and 750 fatalities are recorded on the City’s roads annually. This is in addition to more than 65 000 reported motor vehicle accidents per year. The Freedom Front Plus meets with SANRAL representatives on a monthly basis.
The amendments include, among other things:
• Authorised officers may impound vehicles without notice if drivers participate in illegal street racing or are found guilty of reckless driving.
• Vehicles may also be impounded if the driver is operating without a valid driver’s licence, is under the influence of alcohol, fails to stop when ordered to do so by officers, or if the vehicle obstructs traffic or emergency access.
• Actions deemed dangerous include: driving on the shoulder of the road, driving in an oncoming traffic lane, ignoring traffic lights or stop streets, and overtaking on solid lines.
• Repeated parking violations could result in a vehicle being impounded.
• Vehicles causing excessive noise may be impounded if the driver or owner is repeatedly found guilty of the same offence.
• Vehicles without number plates will only be released once valid plates are fitted.
• Unroadworthy vehicles will only be released after a valid roadworthy certificate is produced.
The Freedom Front Plus finds it deeply concerning that 108 motorists were arrested over the recent long weekend, which included Freedom Day as a public holiday, for driving under the influence of alcohol.
Clearly, the level of lawlessness on roads warrant urgent and decisive action.
Given the criminal justice system’s failure to consistently convict traffic offenders, these proposed amendments will provide much-needed protection for road users who are exposed to reckless and illegal behaviour on our roads every day.
The Freedom Front Plus fully supports every effort to intensify and enforce laws and regulations in Cape Town, especially at a time when arrests are not necessarily followed by convictions of criminals.
