‘Questions remain unanswered’
Can Mr April tell us what is being done to improve the mess at the licencing department?
DEAR Editor,-
In the paper a couple of weeks ago, Simon April replied to an article regarding speed cameras and ended it off with “everything the Traffic Department does is legal”. Now he says we must address relevant sections directly. Here is what I have done over the past year and a half.
I visited the office that deals with traffic fines and asked to see the senior person in charge. A man with three shoulder service stripes attended to me and I asked him why traffic fines are being sent through the ordinary postal service. His answer? To get them out faster. I pointed out to him that this was illegal and he agreed, but said that that was the system being used.
When I was stopped at a roadblock, I went and spoke to the person in command of the roadblock (sitting in a trailer), also with many shoulder stripes and asked him the same question. I got the same answer.
In fact it is the cost – and that was revealed in the high court case against the JMPD. To send a letter through ordinary mail is about R5, and to send it through registered mail is R20,08. But the law clearly states that fines can only be delivered in person or via registered post and that it must reach the person within 40 days of the offence.
A telephone number was subsequently published in the paper for people to phone in regarding the mess-up over driver’s licences and the first time I phoned, I got no answer. The second time it was answered and a woman informed me that she was only there to put calls though, but she could not put me though because everyone was in a meeting! She took my name and phone number and said the person would phone me back. Guess what? To date I have not had a call back.
So Mr April, is there any point in going directly to the relevant department? You are the man with the big title of ‘Senior Manager Mayoralty and Communication, HCM,?’ so please communicate and tell us what is being done to improve the mess at the licensing department, and why illegal traffic fines are being issued? Or at least get the relevant departments off their backsides to answer for you.
JUST ASKING AGAIN
Oslo Beach
