Officers are allegedly under pressure to each collect at least R7 000 in traffic fines daily at roadblocks.
Joburg motorists are allegedly being “turned into ATMs by a revenue-hungry, failing government” as Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officers face pressure to issue R7 000 in fines each and every single day.
This is according to DA spokesperson for community safety Michael Sun, who accused the JMPD of pressuring its officers to meet the daily target.‘
‘ATM motorists’
Sun said on Thursday motorists are still being targeted.
“At the beginning of August, I raised concerns that the Johannesburg Metro Police Department is setting up roadblocks across the city only for one purpose – to collect traffic fines from motorists.”
Sun alleged that officers are under pressure to collect at least R7 000 in traffic fines daily at roadblocks which do very little in terms of traffic management, traffic safety or even crime prevention.
“Although denied by the JMPD, we are nevertheless seeing these roadblocks across the city, everywhere, day and night.
“What is more concerning is that the traffic fine payment platforms are now warnings of scams and fraud and of fake traffic fine notifications to motorists,” Sun said.
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Primary goal
The JMPD’s Xolani Fihla told The Citizen that their enforcement operations are conducted with the primary goal of maintaining safety and order on the city’s roads.
“As part of their duties, officers are expected to issue citations when motorists are found to be in violation of traffic laws. This serves as a necessary corrective measure to address lawlessness, unsafe behaviour and promote a culture of responsibility among all road users.
Quotas
Fihla denied there was any quota system.
“It is important to clarify that while issuing citations is part of an officer’s duty to enforce traffic regulations, there is no quota system they are expected to follow. The department’s focus is on ensuring compliance with traffic laws to prevent accidents, not generating a specific number of fines.
“The performance of our officers is measured by their overall effectiveness in creating a safer environment for the community, and one of the ways is to issue citations, not by a predetermined target for fines. The integrity of our operations is paramount, and all actions are taken in strict accordance with the law,” Fihla said.
Scams
Meanwhile, Sun warned motorists to be careful when paying fines online.
“This is indeed concerning, and motorists will easily fall for these phishing scams as they do not want to be inconvenienced at the roadblocks.
“I urge motorists across the province to be careful not to simply click on any link that you are sent. If you pay your traffic fines, do so using proper official platforms and channels, and ensure that you don’t fall victim to these phishing scams,” Sun said.
This comes after online payments platform PayCity warned users of various phishing scams through which fraudsters send fake traffic fine notifications impersonating the company.
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