This comes after 18-year-old Thomas Ferreira was critically injured by the driver of the unmarked BMW X5, allegedly transporting Gauteng Housing MEC, Humphrey Mmemezi this past weekend.

The JPSA noted in a statement that while the MEC for Gauteng Province, Nomvula Mokonyane has commented on this matter, Minister of Transport Sibusiso Ndebele has not done so.

This is “despite the fact that he was in Johannesburg for the launch of the Imperial ‘I Pledge’ initiative yesterday where he spoke of the unacceptably high road death statistics in South Africa”.

The JPSA said the use of blue flashing lights (and sirens) is governed by the National Road Traffic Act and definitively does not so much as suggest that any person using them is granted permission to disregard the safety of other motorists.

“It furthermore says that these may only be used by law enforcement authorities in reacting to emergencies.”

The proliferation of the use of blue lights (and sometimes sirens), coupled with the aggressive and reckless driving habits of brigades have not only raised public anger but has on several occasions led to serious crashes and injuries of ordinary motorists and cannot be tolerated any longer, the organisation said.

The petition will be presented to the Minister of Transport by December 1, and will be available for public signing until November 30.

The organisations said it hopes that equal standards will be applied to the MEC’s driver’s act as is applied to ordinary citizens and that he will be charged with and prosecuted for attempted murder.

“He cannot reasonably claim that he could not have foreseen that proceeding through a red traffic light could not have led to the injury or death of another motorist.”