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Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele has refuted claims that traffic law
enforcement is more about making money than contributing to road
safety.

This follows recent media reports, including the SABC 3 investigative
documentary Special Assignment aired on 11 August 2009, based on
findings from a month-long investigation of the Johannesburg Metro
Police Department's (JMPD's) alleged "under-trained metro cops,
sub-standard equipment, illegal trapping, and the illegal use of speed
cameras - also known as ‘weapons of mass persecution.'"

"There are currently approximately 700 000 road crashes in South
Africa per annum, resulting in about 15 000 deaths and 50 000 serious
injuries, at a cost of almost R43 billion.

"The overall objective of traffic law enforcement is saving lives.
Speed remains a major contributory factor to motor vehicle collisions in
the country. Increased traffic volumes have made it no longer safe, for
both officers and motorists, to carry out manual traffic enforcement.
Therefore, camera law enforcement is a necessity. However, the primary
purpose of cameras is to address road safety and nothing else. Cameras
constitute not more than 30% of all law enforcement activities and must
comply with certain prescribed norms and standards.

"In order to further reduce road traffic offences and road crashes,
Traffic Officers will soon be provided with wireless, hand-held Pocket
Computers that will enable continuous, fast, real-time electronic access
from the road side to the National Traffic Information System (Natis)
via a supporting computer processor and information system. The
specially developed software will enable officers to record traffic
violations and road crashes electronically at the road side via a
central server to a traffic offence register. A variety of traffic law
enforcement reports will be generated from the system, including the
monitoring and evaluation of the performance of individual officers and
traffic authorities.
"An intensive enforcement programme results in several benefits
including saving lives, fewer serious injuries that result in shorter
hospital stays, reduced costs to emergency services, reduced Road
Accident Fund claims, reduced costs to injured "workers" who play a
pivotal role in contributing to the GDP of the country and reduced
delays as a result of road closures.

"As government, we want to assure all South Africans that, through
the Department of Transport, we are working tirelessly towards strategic
priorities for an effective and efficient road traffic safety management
system.
"The process to roll-out the Administrative Adjudication of Road
Traffic Offences (AARTO) and the Point's Demerit System (PDS) is fully
underway. The objectives of AARTO include encouraging law compliance,
payment of traffic fines, establishing a transparent procedure for the
efficient and effective adjudication of infringements and alleviating
the burden on the courts," said Minister Ndebele.