JMPD clamping down on suburban speedsters

If you have observed an increase in traffic law infringement fines in lower-speed residential roads in your post or e-mail, specifically for speeds of 70km/h to 80km/h, the Joburg metro police department (JMPD) has confirmed it is monitoring sub-streets.

Motor News was alerted by a reader who noticed more traffic fines from less congested suburb roads — and a worrying trend of Aarto infringement notices from two different sources: PayFine and PayCity.

On the matter of speed law monitoring, JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla said the observation about an increase in traffic speed fines issued for suburban roads (specifically for speeds of 70km/h to 80km/h in 60km/h zones) is correct.

“The JMPD continuously monitors and enforces speed limits across all road classifications, including suburban areas, as part of our commitment to road safety and reducing accidents,” he said.

“Our enforcement efforts do involve partnerships. The JMPD has a contract with Syntel for the provision of advanced law enforcement and crash management. The partnership assists us with aspects of traffic law enforcement, which can include the processing and issuance of infringement notices.”

Regarding concern about receiving old and new infringement notices in batches from PayFine and PayCity listed as “Aarto” infringement notices, Fihla said: “We understand the apprehension. PayFine and PayCity are legitimate third-party payment platforms that facilitate the payment of Aarto (administrative adjudication of road traffic offences) infringement notices. The platforms are used to provide convenient payment options for motorists.”

If an individual receives notices in batches, it’s possible there may have been a backlog in processing or delivery, or many multiple infringements occurred over a period and are being issued.

Metros run autonomously and thus the Joburg metro arrangement may differ elsewhere, perhaps with different partnerships and service providers.   

To verify the legitimacy of any specific infringement notice, motorists are advised to check the details provided on the notice against their vehicle registration and driver’s licence information.

You can also contact the Road Traffic Infringement Agency or visit the Aarto website for further verification and information on your infringements.