Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Pat Ngomane has told councilors for Public Safety from various municipalities in the province and officials that they should not threaten traffic officers when they want to charge them for disobeying the rules of the road.
Ngomane told them that there is no one who is above the law and traffic officers have the right to arrest or give issue summonses to anyone regardless of their positions or statuses if they break the law. The MEC said that he has received a number of complaints from traffic officers that there are people who threaten and swear at them when they stop them on the road.
Most of them he said are those that use blue lights including MMCs, Mayors and officials in the law enforcement units. The MEC was speaking during a MUNIMEC meeting today (22 June 2018) in Mbombela where he (MEC) sits with MMCs and directors of Public Safety from various municipalities in the province and the management of the department to discuss issues of safety and improve strategies.
To curb road crashes and lawlessness on the road, the MEC said that there is a need for an integrated approach by the department, municipalities and all security agencies to deal with road safety.
According to a presentation on fourth quarter road crashes statistics, most crashes happened between 14h00 and the early hours of morning. He said that there was an urgent need to finalize the implementation of the flexi shift for traffic officers that will target specific days and times where most challenges are experienced.
“Motorists do as they please during the hours which they know that traffic officers are no longer on the road. We believe that the introduction of this flexi shift will make a difference and curb these crashes,” he said.
Over and above this, The MEC added that the fight against road carnage cannot be won if there are people who are arrogant towards law enforcers. He said that the integrated approach will also come in handy to penetrate the no-go areas in the province where taxi drivers and owners become unruly when traffic officers do their work.
“We cannot win this fight if there are people who think that they are above the law. There are no areas where police or traffic officers cannot do their work. We cannot be threatened by taxi drivers; traffic officers must do their work without fear or favor,” he said.
Attendees in the meeting raised concerns with regards to some traffic officers and officials who own taxis saying that is one of the reasons why some taxi drivers become disobedient towards traffic officers. They also called for the prompt implementation of the AARTO Bill to assist in curbing lawlessness.
In the same meeting, the State Security made a presentation on protests and shared recommendations. They highlighted that between April 2017 and March 2018, over 700 protests were recorded in the province. They recommended amongst others that the only way to deal with protests was an inclusive approach where all stakeholders will play their role.
They added also that improved law enforcement which includes arrest and prosecution on criminal elements will also deter the unrests.
Ends.
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