‘Every cent we bring in will help the municipality’: Tshwane issues R5m in fines over festive season

Motorists and businesses that disobeyed traffic rules and infringed municipal bylaws during the festive season will have to pay Tshwane municipality a total of R5m in fines

Speaking to TimesLIVE, Tshwane community safety MMC Grandi Theunissen said fines were issued during December and up to January 10 and are to ensure law and order is restored.

“We are serious about decreasing accidents and deaths on the road, hence we are much more vigilant about the safety of road users. All bus and taxi operators must take heed because during the Easter weekend we will be on the roads again.”

Theunissen said 102 businesses contravened municipal bylaws such as safety and health regulations.

“Despite the city’s warnings and communication surrounding a safe festive season campaign, numerous transgressions were detected. As a result, a total of 9,210 infringement notices were issued with a combined value of more than R5m,” he said.

He said Tshwane metro police department made arrests for reckless and negligent driving, driving while under the influence, and for illegal trading.

Theunissen said he was confident motorists would pay their fines, adding that this would boost the municipality’s revenue.

The metro has had financial problems in the past three years due to decreasing revenue collection and high debt owed to the entity by businesses and residents.

“Every cent that we can bring in will help the municipality,” he said.

On Tuesday, transport minister Fikile Mbalula  announced that during the 2022/23 festive season 1,451 people died on the roads.

He said this was a decrease from 1,685 fatalities recorded during the 2021/22 festive season.

Here are some reactions to the R5m worth fines issued in Tshwane: