VIDEO: The traffic cameras are here to stay

“Speed cameras” is the common name given to safety cameras operated by local police forces as a means of enforcing speed limits on dangerous roads.

A worldwide review of studies found that speed cameras led to a reduction of “11% to 44% for fatal and serious injury crashes”.

Last year in June, eMalahleni deployed their very own speeding cameras in the city.

The deployment of these cameras lead to quite an uproar, with one man resorting to pulling black bags over the cameras on November 4 of 2018, and another sticking ‘stickers’ onto the cameras’ lenses on November 9 of the same year.

Further complaints arose after motorists received fines despite having proof that they were at work at the time that the fine was issued, or that these cameras had been mounted near a blasting site and on top of small pebbles in order to level them.

Leading to further concerns regarding accuracy and calibration.

Motorists breathed a sigh of relief when, in June of this year, the speeding cameras suddenly vanished.

The reprise was short-lived, however, and within three weeks – the familiar speeding cameras were back at their posts.

On July 23, WITBANK NEWS interviewed chief traffic officer, Mr Colli Mnisi, and municipal spokesperson, Mr Lebo Mofokeng, to find out what exactly the future holds for speeding cameras, as well as what we can expect going forward.

“Our authorization to set up the speeding cameras expired for three weeks in June and early July, which meant that we had to reapply. However, this time the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) gave us the go-ahead to place the cameras anywhere within eMalahleni, instead of just on main roads, which means that we will be moving them around often,” Mnisi explained.

“Motorists may have noticed new speed limit signs going up on roads like Paul Sauer Street, this was done in preparation for the cameras to be moved about.”

Mnisi said that last week Tuesday, July 16, 32 motorists who had received no admission of guilt fines (those caught driving 30km/h+ over the speed limit) had been convicted.

Furthermore we were informed that the man caught sticking ‘stickers’ on the speeding cameras in November of last year had pleaded guilty and would be sentenced for his crime on Friday, July 26.

“The best course of action is just to drive 60km/h wherever you go in eMalahleni,” Mofokeng chuckled, “because sometimes the cameras will be hidden, so motorists will not be able to anticipate where they’ll be every day. Save yourself the trouble of paying a fine and drive carefully.”

WATCH THE VIDEO: Municipality explains where the traffic cameras went, and why they’re back https://www.citizen.co.za/witbank-news/133430/video-municipality-explains-traffic-cameras-went-theyre-back/