The Road Traffic Management Corporation is taking a tougher stance against drivers found guilty of certain traffic violations.
Announcing the rollout of a “safety and rehabilitative” programme called Project Woza Re-Test, RTMC acting CEO Collins Letsoalo said they intended to suspend the licences of motorists who were arrested from 1 January this year for certain road transgressions. The suspensions would remain in place until they had been retested.
Letsoalo said 5000 drivers had been arrested for various traffic-related violations since the beginning of this year. The RTMC said the project’s aim was to educate and rehabilitate convicted motorists.
It intended to roll out the programme on drivers found guilty of traffic offences related to both section 25(1)(b) and section 25(2) of the National Road Traffic Act. These included drivers caught for:
-Driving under the influence of alcohol and other substances with narcotic effects (section 65);
-Reckless, negligent and/or inconsiderate driving (section 63);
-Excessive speeding, for example, exceeding the 30km/h threshold in built-up areas and 40km/h on freeways (section 59).
“Convicted offenders will be given 14 working days in which to explain why his/her licence should not be suspended pending the outcome of a retest of both the learner’s and driving licences.”
However, a sceptical Justice Project SA’s Howard Dembovsky questioned whether the RTMC could act as a court of law. -The Star