The speeding cameras are a nuisance to many of eMalahleni’s drivers; with some individuals, like the infamous camera-sticker clown and the blackbag-bandit, expressing their dislike of these one-eyed spies to their own detriment.
The two cases of attempted vandalism aimed at these speeding cameras ostensibly gave the traffic department such a fright that motorists are alleging that whilst traffic officers sit and keep watch of these precious money-makers, chaos reigns elsewhere on the roads.
Many citizens have complained that minibus taxis often skip red lights and stop streets, push cars out of the lane they were traveling in (or into oncoming traffic) and generally drive recklessly even while traffic officers are visible and can see the incidents taking place; apparently safe in the knowledge that no traffic transgression that they might commit could urge the traffic officers to issue a fine when they are charged with the important job of watching the speeding cameras.
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“We want to know when the traffic cops are going to start enforcing the law when it comes to minibus taxis because they are the ones who place our lives at risk; not old ladies getting caught driving 65km/h in a 60 zone. All you have to do is go and sit in the traffic on the bridge passed Highveld Mall at 17:00 in the afternoon, and you’ll see the taxis trying to skip the traffic by staying in the turning lane and then switching over into the lane that proceeds straight in the intersection, or by pushing the car next to them into oncoming traffic,” said a frustrated eMalahleni commuter
“Why do we have enough traffic cops to give each speeding camera its own personal bodyguard, but we don’t have enough to stop blatantly negligent drivers? Some of these taxi drivers are more dangerous than drunk drivers in rush hour traffic.”
A minibus taxi filled with school children trying to skip the traffic jam by driving around it on the soft shoulder of the road.
The municipality was approached to comment on photographs of a minibus taxi filled with school children attempting to circumvent traffic by driving on the soft dirt shoulder next to the road and to clarify whether traffic officers will ramp up efforts to ensure that not only speedsters are brought to book but those that drive recklessly within the speed limit as well, but no comment had been received at the time of publication.
