By Zukile Majova
- Johannesburg traffic police reportedly have R7,000 daily fine targets as the cash-strapped city hunts for revenue from struggling motorists.
- City faces R24-billion in irregular spending and needs R221-billion to fix crumbling infrastructure, including water and electricity.
The cash-strapped City of Johannesburg has been accused of turning its traffic police into a money-making machine.
The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department is reportedly setting a target of R7,000 in fines per officer each day.
Superintendent Xolani Fihla, the spokesperson for the JMPD, said JMPD officers issue fines as an “expected part of an officer’s duty to enforce traffic regulations, there is no quota system that they are expected to follow”.
“The department’s focus is on ensuring compliance with traffic laws to prevent accidents and protect the lives of all road users, not on generating a specific number of fines.”
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi admitted on Monday that the Gauteng government’s income from traffic fines and vehicle licence renewals has more than doubled.
DA provincial legislator Michael Sun claims that officers are being offered overtime as a reward to meet fine targets. He said this drives them to run too many roadblocks and focus on fines instead of their main duties like traffic management, bylaw enforcement and crime prevention.
Many of these operations, Sun said, are disguised as “roadside checks” to avoid legal requirements. Properly allowed roadblocks need a senior officer’s approval, clear warning signs and safe setups. Instead, the city is using surprise checkpoints aimed at struggling motorists.
“These roadside checks are not about safety,” Sun said. “They are about squeezing money from people who are already battling to survive.”
The city’s finances remain in crisis. It faces more than R24-billion in irregular and wasteful spending and needs R221-billion to repair collapsing infrastructure, including R44-billion for water and electricity projects.
Mayor Dada Morero is under growing pressure as the city prepares to host the G20 Summit in November.
Pictured above: A roadblock.
Image source: Arrive Alive
