The Gauteng Traffic Inspectorate’s (GTI) province-wide enforcement operations are part of ongoing efforts to improve road safety, strengthen compliance with public transport regulations and promote responsible road use across the province.

According to the Department of Roads and Transport, during the period from June 15 to 21, GTI officers conducted high-visibility law enforcement operations targeting traffic violations, unroadworthy vehicles, and non-compliant public transport operators across Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, and Tshwane.

The department stated that, as part of its operations, officers issued over 1,217 handwritten infringement notices.

The City of Johannesburg accounted for the highest number of notices, with 953 AARTO infringements, followed by Tshwane with 193, and Ekurhuleni with 56.

The department said that to enhance enforcement efficiency, GTI officers issued an additional 728 electronic infringement notices through the e-Force system.

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“During the operations, officials also found 237 minibus taxi drivers operating without valid driving licences and 96 minibus taxis operating without valid licence discs.

“The inspectorate also acted against unsafe private vehicles operating on public roads. A total of 154 discontinue notices were issued to vehicles found to be unroadworthy or non-compliant with road traffic regulations,” shared the road department.

The road department explained that 101 were discontinued in Johannesburg, followed by 47 in Ekurhuleni and six in Tshwane.

In addition, 134 minibus taxis were discontinued, the department said, highlighting ongoing concerns regarding vehicle roadworthiness within the public transport sector.

The department explained that these were results of focused public transport regulatory compliance efforts and form part of the department’s #OperationRemoveSkorokoro campaign to remove unsafe vehicles from the road network to reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities.

The department shared that 13 vehicles were impounded in Ekurhuleni for non-compliance, reinforcing GTI’s zero-tolerance approach towards violations of road traffic legislation.

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The department said that the operations also resulted in the arrest of five individuals for various offences, including fraud, bribery, illegal immigration, and driving under the influence.

Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, commended the officers’ efforts to enforce compliance with traffic and public transport regulations across the province.

“The ongoing discontinuations, impoundments and arrests are testament to the inspectorate’s resolve that non-compliance, reckless behaviour, and criminality on the public roads will not be tolerated.

“GTI’s continued vigilance and proactive enforcement efforts must serve as a warning to those who continue to endanger others that the law will catch up with them. You will be held to account.”

The department said that the high-visibility law enforcement operations form part of its ongoing efforts to improve compliance with public transport regulations and road traffic legislation and serve to encourage safer driver behaviour.