Traffic Department in contravention with the law

Motorists over the age of 65 are now being turned away at the Randfontein Traffic Department when renewing their driver’s licenses and asked to produce a medical certificate before they receive any help.

This is according to a local resident Giel Gericke who says that he was refused the opportunity to renew his driver’s license and told that he was unfit to drive on public roads due to his age.

He was told that unless he can produce a medical certificate proving that he is fit to drive, his license will not be renewed.

This was on 3 February.

The Herald decided to investigate the matter and approached the Randfontein Traffic Chief Kenny Mampondo, who initially defended the Department and said that this was part of the Road Traffic Act and was done to prevent unnecessary accidents on the road.

“I am not saying people over the age of 65 are incapable of driving.

“What I am saying is that their vision is usually compromised and a medical certificate will be required to indicate to us if the applicant is still physically fit to be driving on the public roads,” says Mampondo.

He adds that if one is not in possession of the certificate, the pensioner will not have their driver’s license renewed and their expired license will likely get discarded.

However, the Herald can state that the information in question with regards to obtaining a medical certificate only applies when one wants to obtain a learner’s driver’s license and not a driver’s license.

This was clarified by Thato Mosena from the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) who says that there has been no amendment to the National Traffic Act.

“As far as we are aware , there is no such amendment in the Act.

“The authority that has been exercising this should supply the regulation that guides them,” says Mosena.

What this means is that the Randfontein Traffic Department has been illegally turning pensioners away when renewing their drivers licenses which is against the law.

Meanwhile, Gericke went and got a medical certificate and paid over R500 for this just to have his license renewed.

This, despite the fact that the rules imposed by the Randfontein Traffic Department is in contravention with the law. .

“I feel that the traffic department is misleading the community of Randfontein and operating above the law.

“What they are doing is totally unacceptable.”