South African motorists often complain about inconsistent treatment by traffic officers.
Driving home from the north of Pretoria on Saturday night, I encountered something that left me unsettled.
As I approached the area near Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Centre, a traffic light was out of order. Naturally, one would expect motorists to treat it as a four-way stop, as per the K53 driving rules.
Yet, the cars before me breezed through without stopping — and none of them were pulled over. A scene that is familiar to many of us.
When my turn came, however, I was flagged down by a Tshwane Metro officer conducting a road block. As I waited for him to approach, I noticed a pattern: only certain cars, a Mercedes-Benz, a BMW, a VW, and a Jeep, were being stopped.
Perhaps it has to do with the perception that people who own these cars drive like nonsense.
Still, it immediately made me question the fairness and purpose of these stops.
He was looking at his wife
The situation took an odd turn when the officer, after stopping me, barely performed the routine checks required of him. He did not inspect my licence disc, my car, or even my driver’s licence. Instead, his attention seemed elsewhere.
When I asked him to do his job properly, his response was astonishing. He said he was looking at his wife! Me?! Huh, what a joke.
I had to force him to take my licence and do what he’s paid to do.
But when I told him to look at my licence, he said: ”You don’t need a licence, you have me.”
What struck me most wasn’t just his lack of professionalism, but the ease with which he dismissed his duties. Traffic officers are entrusted with ensuring road safety and enforcing the law, not engaging in distractions or acting selectively based on the type of car a person drives.
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Selective enforcement
South African motorists often complain about inconsistent treatment by traffic officers.
Some seem to focus on certain vehicles, often newer or more expensive ones, while others are waved through without question. But this encounter made it painfully clear how arbitrary and unprofessional these stops can be.
The question then arises: Is this how some people avoid tickets, through charm or personal connections, while others face scrutiny for simply driving a certain car?
“Shouldn’t an encounter between a traffic officer and a driver be strictly professional?” I found myself wondering as I drove away.
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A call for accountability
Traffic enforcement is meant to promote safety and trust between officers and the public. Yet, when officers act selectively or allow personal distractions to influence their duties, they undermine the very trust that they are meant to uphold.
South Africans deserve traffic officers who uphold the law without bias, and who remember that their badge represents responsibility, not personal indulgence.
My experience was a reminder that professionalism on the road isn’t just expected of drivers, it should be demanded of those enforcing the rules, too.
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