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With expected traffic volumes increase during the forthcoming festive season and school holidays, the recently unveiled Nyamsoro (Automated Number Plate Recognition vehicles) will go a long way towards assisting law enforcement officers to bring mischievous drivers to book.

This is according to MEC for Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison, Vusi Shongwe who lauded the officers for bringing to book 502 motorists in October for failing to pay their outstanding traffic fines. The vehicles were instrumental in most operations that were conducted across the province.

Warrants of arrests were executed and drivers of heavy motor vehicles (HMVs) were the most offenders followed by sedan drivers as well as light delivery vehicles (LDVs).The officers further arrested 58 more drivers for drunk driving, excessive speeding, overloading, reckless and negligent driving among others. These arrests were made during day to day operations by the provincial traffic officers.

In the same month, traffic officers also issued 26 772 fines to motorists for different violations. Out of all the fines issued, 741 were issued to motorists who did not have driving licenses and 944 to those who were not in possession of their licenses. 1367 fines were also issued to motorists who were overtaking on barrier line while 4 415 were fines issued for speeding.

“We are doing our best to ensure that motorists who ignore the call to take road safety seriously are dealt with accordingly. As we approach the Festive Season, our traffic officers will be in all corners of the province to ensure the safety of all our road users,” said Shongwe.

The MEC has once called for increased levels of vigilance on the part of motorists in order to save lives on the road. He said road safety remains everybody’s responsibility and it is not only law enforcement officers who should ensure that there is general compliance with rules of the road.

Issued by Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison