High tech to tackle lawlessness on KZN roads

‘WE will never tolerate reckless driving on our roads’.

This is a stern warning to motorists ahead of the Easter weekend, with thousands expected to travel across KZN.

Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma warned drivers that harsh action will be taken against drivers who blatantly ignore the rules of the road.

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Duma was speaking at a roadblock at Marianhill Toll Plaza where he joined various law enforcement agencies as part of the Easter Road Safety Campaign.

He said during the launch of the campaign in Mandeni last week, they detailed plans to unveil crime recognition software.

The software from MTN can detect, among others, fraudulent driver’s licences, as well as check for outstanding fines, summonses and warrants of arrest.

“We have issued more than 656 units of this crime recognition software to law enforcement teams across the province,” said Duma.

“Importantly, we have also introduced automatic number recognition systems that are currently fitted to patrol vehicles.

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This technology allows officers to conduct intelligence-driven roadblocks to detect unroadworthy, unlicensed, and stolen motor vehicles by querying the National Traffic Information System and the database of stolen vehicles from the South African Police Services.

“We are capacitating all RTI stations with this technology,” said the MEC.

The department has also introduced average speed over distance on the N3 and N2 freeways.

“We have strategically placed two cameras. One at the beginning and one at the end of a designated stretch of road.

“The cameras capture the vehicle’s presence at each location, allowing the system to calculate the time it took to travel the distance.

“We are investing in this technology as part of ending fatalities on our roads, which are caused by speeding and reckless driving.

“We are also investigating the introduction of drone technology to assist in dealing with high-impact incidents/collisions, which includes collecting evidence against perpetrators.”

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