Today (17 July 2019) officially marks two years that the eThekwini Municipality has been devoid of speed enforcement on its roads. Over this period Metro Police have not been able to fulfil one of its most vital responsibilities.

On 17 July 2017 speed timing operations ceased when the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions (DDPP) objected to the pricing model of the electronic enforcement tender.

This tender, finalised in February 2017, was structured in such a way so that the service provider would be paid what effectively amounts to a commission on each fine paid to the municipality. The DDPP has stated that a fixed monthly cost for all services rendered regardless of charges paid would be a more suitable method.

The municipality is now locked in an ongoing tussle with the DDPP over who is right. With no end to this battle in sight, speeding motorists are allowed to run amok in eThekwini.

As councillors, we receive constant complaints about speeding on every class of road in the wards we look after. We are inundated with requests for speed humps which are, more often than not, turned down by the eThekwini Transport Authority (ETA). We are told that there cannot be an engineered solution to poor driver behaviour and that this is ultimately an enforcement issue. However, with no speed timing taking place on our roads who are residents supposed to turn to?

The DA has been driving this issue constantly in the Security and Emergency Services Committee. The progress updates we have received have not left us satisfied that this matter is being prioritised accordingly.

People's lives are at stake and somebody needs to be held accountable for this. The individual/s responsible for allowing this to happen are negligent to the highest degree. The DA believes that two years of no speed enforcement on our roads is frankly outrageous and can no longer be defended.

We are therefore calling for those in a position to rectify this to stop dithering and make this matter a priority before more lives are lost on our roads due to excessive speeding. This cannot be delayed any longer.

 

 

Issued by The DA