Apparently SANRAL and the SAPS are running an extremely insensitive campaign whereby road users are being threatened via mass sms’s to pay outstanding e-toll fees and that legal action will be taken against them if a certain police officer is not contacted, says adv Anton Alberts, chairperson of the FF Plus.
The sms that apparently comes from SANRAL reads as follows: “You have overdue e-toll fees and you are now in a debt collection process. Call Sanral on 0800 726 725.”
The sms that apparently comes from the police reads as follows: “A case has been opened against you @ SAPS, for more info contact Captain Sithole on 0634201925.”
Adv Alberts says that, if it is legitimate, it is extremely insensitive to run such a campaign over the festive season and that it only goes to show that SANRAL has absolutely no regard for road users.
“SANRAL is well aware of the upcoming court case that will serve as a test for the validity of the e-toll system and yet they are unremittent in their harassment of their so-called clients.
The FF Plus will investigate the legitimacy of the ‘police’ sms and if it comes to light that it was indeed initiated by SANRAL, the party will lay a criminal charge against SANRAL for undermining the law.
“The Criminal Procedure Act does not contain a clause that allows for notices of criminal charges to be communicated via sms. The police will have no guarantee that the ‘accused’ did indeed receive the notice (sms) because the police cannot be sure if the sms was sent and received successfully or not.
“The civil claim by means of collection, if it indeed comes from SANRAL, is in poor taste. Clearly, SANRAL is a callous institution just like its shareholder, the ANC government.
“The FF Plus wants to warn the public not to pay money into any account solely because of a sms. It would be too easy for criminal elements to threaten and exploit gullible people in this way,” says adv Alberts.
Contact numbers: 082 391 3117 / 065 801 7216
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