Gauteng intensifies road safety enforcement with stop-and-search operations

The Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) confirmed in their weekly statement that high-impact stop-and-search operations are ongoing to strengthen road safety and ensure compliance with traffic legislation.

Led by the Gauteng Transport Inspectorate (GTI) in collaboration with the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), the operations form part of a coordinated strategy to combat criminality, address lawlessness, and improve public transport compliance across the province.

During the week of February 16 to 22, intensified enforcement activities were conducted across Johannesburg and Tshwane.

High-risk public and scholar transport corridors were targeted following reports of non-compliance and road safety violations.

As a result, 19 minibuses were discontinued for failing to meet critical road safety requirements, while 60 vehicles received discontinue notices for defects such as faulty brakes, worn tyres, broken headlights, defective indicators, and cracked windscreens — all posing serious risks to road users.

Officers also issued more than 600 manual infringement notices and processed 877 electronic notices using GTI’s advanced e-Force devices. Additional findings included 89 minibus taxi operators driving without valid licences and 54 minibuses operating without valid licence discs.

The GPG emphasised that driving without a valid licence is an offence and can result in fines, a criminal record, or vehicle impoundment if no licensed driver is available. Incremental penalties apply for repeated offences, particularly for public transport operators.

During the operations, officers also arrested 14 motorists for serious offences: twelve for driving under the influence (DUI), one for fraud, and another for reckless and negligent driving.

Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, commended the GTI for its consistent, proactive enforcement. She said the discontinuation of 19 minibuses in a single week sends a ‘clear and uncompromising message’ that the province will not tolerate criminality, corruption, or total disregard for road regulations.

“These weekly results demonstrate our commitment to creating a safer, more compliant transport environment. Stop-and-search operations are a key pillar of our road safety and traffic law enforcement strategy,” Diale-Tlabela added.

The MEC urged residents and commuters to exercise patience during operations, highlighting that removing unroadworthy vehicles is essential to protecting lives on Gauteng’s roads.