Lesufi plans new vehicle legislation, cashless trade in fight against crime in GP

The Gauteng government is planning to strengthen crime-fighting by revamping vehicle legislation and migrating the province, including Pretoria, into a cashless society.

The crime-fighting plan was announced by Premier Panyaza Lesufi during the state of the province address on Monday in the legislature.

Lesufi said reform to legislation needed to focus on the registration of vehicles and migration to less cash use in business transactions.

“To contribute to our desire to use less cash in business transactions in our province, we urge our retailers and other businesses to join the hospitality industry in eliminating cash transactions. If we all do so, we will see less, business robberies, cash heists and ATM bombings.”

He said the reform to the law on vehicle registration would strengthen policing as vehicles were a common denominator in violent crimes or were both stolen and used as getaway vehicles.

He further said the current number plates system was running out of numbers and letters.

“We want to take advantage of this situation to introduce new, hard-to-copy and tamper-free number plates.

“We have issued the government Gazette on February 17 for consultation and comments on new security features.

“This new system will also assist in managing the abuse of temporary number plates.”

He said he had issued strict instructions to traffic law enforcement agencies to pull off motorists who continued to drive without number plates or fraudulent temporary permits.

Lesufi said the government had noted that there were blue lights masquerading as police for criminal purposes.

“The abuse of fake blue lights is on the increase. A special unit to eliminate this phenomenon is being assembled.”

Pretoria has been tormented by criminals spotting fake blue lights, thefts of motor vehicles and cash-in-transit (CIT) heists among other serious crimes.

The latest CIT heist took place north of Pretoria, according to police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe.

“The security officials alleged they were driving from Hebron mall near Soshanguve when they were ambushed by a group of suspects travelling in three Quantum taxis and two Mercedes-Benz sedans.

“The group disarmed the security officials who were removed from the van before it was bombed.

“It is clear that the thugs involved in CIT heists will stop at nothing to get what they want, including killing police officers and putting the lives of innocent people at risk.”

In the late hours of November 25 last year, a security guard suffered multiple gunshot wounds during a CIT robbery in Silverton.

Emer-G-Med paramedics, who responded to the scene, found a cash van wreck, a result of being bombed, on Waltloo Road, Silverton.

The same month, a Tshwane metro police officer and a former national traffic police officer were charged for corruption and a series of hijackings in Gauteng.

Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) spokesperson Simon Zwane said the two had been nabbed by police on the N1 near Jean Avenue in Centurion and linked to the blue lights gang that had plagued motorists on Gauteng freeways.

He said it was alleged that the pair, while in full police uniform, drove around in a white Polo VW sedan flashing blue lights stopping unsuspecting motorists.

He further alleged the two were in unlawful possession of government documents.

“Their vehicle is detained and booked at the asset forfeiture unit as it was used in the commission of a crime.”

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