Foreigners duck R6m in fines

06 October 2014 - 02:01 By Olebogeng Molatlhwa
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JMPD. File photo.
JMPD. File photo.
Image: Reuben Goldberg

The owners of foreign-registered vehicles owe the City of Johannesburg more than R6-million in traffic fines.

That amount is likely to increase because South African law has no provision for forcing owners of foreign-registered vehicles to pay their fines.

Johannesburg metro police director Gerrie Gerneke said that 29785 fines, with a value of R15031150, had been issued in the past 10 to 15 years but only R924850, or 2625 fines, had been paid.

The oldest fine still on the department's records was issued on December 6 2001.

The owners of foreign-registered vehicles have failed to pay 11467 fines totalling R6173100. About 15700 fines were cancelled.

The city's public safety committee recently said there was "a worrying increase" in the number of foreign vehicles on Johannesburg roads.

"The committee has noted several challenges that these vehicles pose for the department.

"Speeding fines often become a tedious item for the department to collect," the committee said.

When the metro police try to enforce payment of fines they are often not able to track down the guilty motorists.

"The [owners of foreign] vehicles do not have fixed addresses where we can go to make the owner pay."

JMPD officers are often unable to differentiate between a genuine vehicle registration document and a forgery.

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