Come forward and claim your impounded vehicle or lose it – CoE
City calls for owners to claim their impounded vehicles
The City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) is calling on the owners of over 700 impounded vehicles to come forward and claim their vehicles or lose them.
The city has embarked on a 30-day process, which started on November 10, to call on the owners to claim the 735 vehicles before they are auctioned.
“These vehicles were removed from the roads across the city by the EMPD for various transgressions in line with Regulation 319 (1) (2) of the National Road Traffic Act 93 of 1996,” said CoE spokesperson Zweli Dlamini.
“Regulation 320 of this Act allows a traffic officer to remove any vehicle that is parked in contravention of any bylaws of the City or abandoned in such a way that it obstructs the traffic and is dangerous to other road users.
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These vehicles are removed to a safer place, mainly metro police pounds, by the police officer in question.
“The vehicles at the city’s disposal include 582 motor vehicles, 80 motorcycles, 53 trailers, 14 caravans, and six containers.
“The law makes it clear that a vehicle that is left in the same place on a public road outside an urban area for 24 hours, may be classified as abandoned.
“A traffic officer may also impound a vehicle that has no licence number affixed to it or has a false license number affixed to it.
“After impounding a vehicle the officer shall take necessary steps to trace its owner. During that time these vehicles are kept at the registered pounds in the City,” said Dlamini.
“Unless the vehicle was reported stolen, this Act states that the vehicle owner shall be liable for the expenses incurred in its removal and storage,”
“Regulation 320(3) (a) and (b) of the National Road Traffic Act (NRTA) 93 of 1996 state that if the vehicle that was impounded and the owner fails to claim it within 120 days, and also fails to respond to the notice sent out notifying him to come and release the said vehicle, the council may suitably dispose of that vehicle.”
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Dlamini said to claim these vehicles, owners must visit the nearest EMPD pound. They must bring the original proof of ownership (registration papers) and the owner’s identity document. The owners must claim their vehicles on or before Monday, December 11, after which the city will auction them off.
“As such the city has issued direct communication to the owners of the vehicles that are listed to again come and claim their vehicles within 30 days, starting from November 10.
“If the city fails to sell the vehicles concerned, it may dispose of them in any manner it deems fit and the money received as a result of such disposal shall be forfeited to the city.”
For more information, contact Dlamini on 082 573 6464 or email zweli.dlamini@ekurhuleni.gov.za.
