South Africa's first municipal court was officially opened by Tshwane mayor Smangaliso Mkhatshwa in Pretoria North on Tuesday.

Described as a serious blow for lawbreakers in Pretoria and surrounds, the court will deal with cases brought to it by the metropolitan police.

"The municipal court will not be dealing with major criminal activities, it will be targeting the little foxes who think that they can get away with the lesser crimes such as committing traffic offences and infringing municipal by-laws," Mkhatshwa said.

He said the metro police would now deal with such offences, leaving the SA Police Service to take care of the "bigger wolves."

The court is part of the metro crime fighting strategy started in 2001 by the establishment of the Tshwane Metropolitan Police Service.

The court, situated in Winternest, will also be used as a one-stop shop for residents to register their vehicles, apply for licences and pay traffic fines "all under one roof."

Mkhatshwa said the court would be used to bring small informal businesses in line with the by-laws.

"However, this does not mean that we are unsympathetic towards socio-economic problems. We do not enforce laws without considering the plight of our less fortunate residents who might be unemployed or are struggling for survival on a daily basis. These are not the people we are after," he said.

But his spokesman William Baloyi stressed to Sapa that this did not mean poor criminals would be overlooked and that only wealthy criminals would be brought to book.

"No, definitely not. It means that all hawkers and vendors who don't adhere to the city's by-laws will be dealt with," he said.

Court manager Linda Geyer said two senior magistrates would be responsible for hearing the cases.

"The court is an extension of the Pretoria North Magistrate's Court and will be handling cases from as far a field as Hammanskraal," she said - Sapa.