Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, has noted and highlighted the contributions of Gauteng Transport Inspectorate’s (GTI) high-impact stop-and-search operations to improve visibility, regulatory compliance and road safety as part of the #OperationRemoveSkorokoro drive in the province.

“Public transport operators’ disregard for regulatory and traffic laws is being met head-on. The behaviour is utterly unacceptable, and we have urged GTI officers to continue enforcing the rules without fear or favour,” warned the MEC.

The roads department stated that the GTI officers remain committed to sustained enforcement operations aimed at improving visibility, enhancing regulatory compliance, promoting responsible road user behaviour and ensuring a safer road network throughout Gauteng.

Diale-Tlabela added the department will continue engaging the minibus taxi industry to take a stand and root out these trends.

This follows GTI’ series of enforcement operations conducted between July 6 and 12, focusing on key public transport routes in the cities of Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg and Tshwane, leading to discontinuations and issuing infringement notices.

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The department said that these are conducted in collaboration with the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC).

According to the department, during this period, the officers issued 1125 handwritten AARTO infringement notices.

These included 570 in Johannesburg, 318 in Tshwane, and 237 in Ekurhuleni for various traffic-related offences.

The department indicated that the operations also resulted in 40 discontinuation notices (the removal of vehicles from public roads) being issued to vehicles that failed to meet roadworthiness requirements.

Seven were issued in Tshwane and 28 in Johannesburg, as well as five in Ekurhuleni.

Furthermore, there were a total of 833 E-force enforcements – 280 in Tshwane, 493 in Johannesburg and 60 in Ekurhuleni.

The department added that 35 minibus taxis were discontinued after being found to be unroadworthy and prohibited from operating until all identified defects have been rectified.

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The department explained that the public transport regulatory compliance inspections also recorded violations – 83 minibus taxis were found operating without valid licence discs, while 127 drivers were found without valid driving licences.

The roads department shared that the efforts by law-enforcement officers also led to the arrest of three individuals – one motorist for reckless and negligent driving, one for fraud, and one undocumented foreign national.

Diale-Tlabela has reaffirmed the department’s stance that removing all unsafe and unroadworthy vehicles from public roads remains a key priority under the #OperationRemoveSkorokoro campaign.

She warned that those operating without valid driving licences or licence discs continue to compromise public safety and undermine the province’s road safety efforts.

“The provincial government will continue to act against motorists and public transport operators who place the lives of commuters and other road users at risk through negligence and non-compliance,” said the MEC.